\w-%&m 






BX 






i 

WKKKHBrn 







JHL 

mBBBBasBBBk 



iiiissis 







9^1 



88^ 



V 



*38fl» 



H 1I11I1IIS 




■ 



Sri 



H 









US! 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 

@§ajt, ....... &$&$$ % 

Shelf ...„_..,.$ g 3 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 




THE SHIELD . 

OF THE 

YOUNG METHODIST; 

OR, 

The Methodist Armor, 

abridged and arranged in the form 

op a catechism for the benefit 

of sunday-schools, young 

converts and for 

families. 



—BY- 
HILARY t/hUDSON, D.D., 

Of the North Carolina Conference of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church, South. 



Shelby, N. C. : 
RABINGTOX & ROBERTS, Book and Job Printers, 
1883. s£\ 



O^ 



MAY 23 1883 ' 

'hy No...Jl2.#.J ^ 



3X83 
1**3 



DEDICATION 



TO THE YOUNG PEOPLE OF SOUTHERN 

METHODISM, THIS LITTLE VOLUME 

IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED 

BY THE AUTHOR. 

Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1883, 
BY 

In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C. 



PREFACE. 



It is of the highest importance that the 
millions of Methodist children be properly 
indoctrinated. Early indoctrination is the 
most direct means of making them loyal 
Methodists and moral christians. The 
multitudes of wavering, feeble, and barren 
members 'of the Methodist Church are 
largely caused by the lack of this indoc- 
trination and training. Thousands are 
brought into the Church through revivals 
annually, but alas ! how many drop out 
and disappear for lack of intelligent views 
of Methodism, and being properly drilled. 
The day has come, that in order to hold 
our youth, the Church must give them 
special lessons on the Distinctive Doctrines, 
the Distinctive Economy, and the Peculiar 



4 PREFACE. 

Usages of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
South. The Shield meets this felt neces- 
sity. 

1. The Articles of Faith are so arranged 
as to make it easy for children to compre- 
hend them, and learn the Scriptures on 
which they rest. 

2. The General Ptules are separated and 
numbered, with Scripture quotations under 
each rule, and such notes accompanying 
each rule as to show the children its prac- 
tical importance. 

3. The Methodistic Doctrines of Free 
Grace — justification, regeneration, Chris- 
tian perfection — falling from Grace, Bap- 
tism, &c, are all clearly and simply set 
forth. 

4. The Government of the Church in 
all of its Conferences and its officers, is 
made plain to the minds of children. 

The Shield retains all the purely dis- 
tinctive features of Methodism found in 
the "Armor," with a considerable amount 
of new matter. 



THE SHIELD 

OF THE 

YOUNG METHODIST. 



CHAPTER I. 
METHODIST HISTORY. 



LESSON 1. 
Origin and Progress of Methodism, 



Question. — When and where did Meth- 
odism begin its course ? 

Answer. — The History of Methodism began 
in the year of 1729. It was horn in the Uni- 
versity of Oxford, England. While at college, 
John Wesley, Charles Wesley, and George 
Whitefield, and a few others banded themselves 
together for the purpose of intellectual and 
spiritual improvement. So systematic were 
these young men in their habits of religious 
duty that the gayer students in derision called 
them "Methodists." So the disciples of Christ 



6 THE SHIELD OF THE 

were first called "Christians," at Antioch by a 
deriding world, yet the name was so appropri- 
ate that they gloried in it. And since Metho- 
dism has wrought out such a glorious History, 
none of her followers are ashamed of her name. 

Q. — When was the first Methodist Soci- 
ety organized ? 

A. — In 1739, by Mr. Wesley, in the city of 
London. It began with about ten persons, and 
soon swelled up to hundreds. A great revival 
soon began to spread over the British realm. 
It was a work of great depth and duration. 

"It came sweeping along like the winds 
which God had let loose from his fists, swaying 
devout souls, breaking down stubborn sinners, 
overturning hopes built on false foundations, 
but quenching not the smoking flax, nor break- 
ing the bruised reed. It was heaven's bounti- 
ful gift to the silent prayer of the world's sorrow 
by reason of its. great sin." 

Note. 

This great revival was sorely needed just at 
this time. The English people, under the 
sleepy ritualism of the Established Church, 
"had lapsed into heathenism, or a state hardly 
to be distinguished from it." In the midst of 
this spiritual darkness, God raised up a Bishop, 



YOUNG METHODIST. 7 

a preacher, a poet : three men the equals of 
whom have, probably, never been seen in the 
world at once since the apostolic days. The 
Bishop was John Wesley, the preacher was 
George Whitefield, the poet was Charles Wes- 
ley. To these three men, and those whom they 
gathered to their standard, did the Lord com- 
mit the precious work of awaking the British 
kingdom to a sense of God and duty, and by 
them He wrought a reformation which stands 
alone as a spiritual revival without admixture 
of Statescraft or patronage of Parliament or 

King." 

The Founder. 

Q. — Who was the Founder of the Meth- 
odist Church ? 

A.— Rev. John Wesley, who was born in 
England, June 14, 1703. ' 

Give a sketch of his character. 

John Wesley came of good stock. His 
father was a preacher before him. He entered 
college at the age of seventeen, and came out 
a distinguished graduate of one of the most 
famous Universities of the world. His intellec- 
tual training was of the highest order. A hap- 
py and thorough conversion marked his religious 
experience. He says : "I felt my heart strangely 



8 THE SHIELD OF THE 

warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ alone for 
salvation, an assurance was given me that He 
had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved 
me from the law of sin and death." Before he 
knew what religion was theologically, now he 
knows what it is experimentally. From this 
time on he is a new man full of power and the 
Holy Ghost. His intellectual faculties kindled 
up into a luminous condition and his spiritual 
vision was clear and comprehensive. The en- 
thusiasm growing out of his experience went 
with him and caught material everywhere for 
new flame and fervor. The torch of Mr. Wes- 
ley's experience set the world on fire, which has 
glowed and spread frcrn that day till now. The 
celestial fire which warmed his heart is the light 
of the world. 

Methodism began with experimental religion 
in the heart, and by spontaneous energies from 
Avithin projected itself out into organic forms 
of life, such as class-meetings, love-feasts, Con- 
ferences, the Itinerancy, and Church polity. 
This is the philosophy of the Methodist econo- 
my. It is the power of divine life clothing 
itself with such organic functions as are neces- 
sary to perpetuate and spread itself through the 
world. In ten years the outlines of the coming 



SHIELD OF THE 9 

Church were already prepared. Societies were 
formed, Quarterly meetings held, Annual Con- 
ferences assembled, and preachers exchanged, 
and Methodism began her glorious career. 

Q. — When did he die ? 

A.— John Wesley died in 1791, exclaiming : 

" The best of all is — God is with us" 

As beautiful as the Summer sunset in a cloud- 
less sky, was the death of Mr. Wesley. The 
sun of his Ions; life, beautiful in the morning: of 
youth, radiant at the noon of manhood, after 
shining almost a century to enlighten and make 
fruitful the earth, went down in full-orbed 
glory, gilding the world left behind with the 
reflected splendor of its departing rays. 

Q. What are the opinions of writers 
about the greatness of Mr. Wesley ? 

A. — "I consider him as the most influential 
mind of the last century, the man who will 
have produced the greatest results centuries 
hence," said Southey. "No man has risen in 
the Methodist Society equal to their founder, 
John Wesley," said Dean Stanly. "A greater 
poet may arise than Homer or Milton, a greater 
theologian than Calvin, a greater philosopher 
than Bacon, a greater dramatist than any of an- 



10 THE SHIELD OF THE 

cient or modern fame, a greater Revivalist of tl e 
Churches than John Wesley — never !" said Dr. 
Dobbins of tlie Church of England. "As 
Mount Everest lifts its tall head not only above 
every other peak of the Himalayas, but above 
the tallest peak of every other mountain in the 
wide world, so John Wesley, as a revivalist and 
reformer, towers not only above the other great 
men of Methodism, but above the greatest in 
all other Churches of Christendom," Dr. J. O. 
A. Clark. Though not a century and a half 
have elapsed since he founded the Methodist 
Church, yet no less than twenty-flve millions of 
persons, including communicants and adherents 
to his systems, are his followers. 

:0: 



LESSON 2. 
Origin of Methodism in America. 



Q. — How did Methodism get into Amer- 
ica ? 

A.— The Methodism, which swept through 
England as a spreading fire over a field of dry 
stubble, soon crossed the Atlantic and began to 
glow and burn in America. 

Q. — When and by whom was the first 



YOUNG METHODIST. 11 

Methodist society formed in this country ? 

A. — 1766. It was organized by Philip Em- 
bury, a local preacher, in the city of IsTew York. 
Barbara Heck, a christian woman, has the 
honor of being the prime mover in the work. 
Embury and Barbara Heck, emigrants from Ire- 
land, were originally of German stock. Robert 
Strawbride, from Ireland also, organized a 
Methodist Society in Maryland about the same 
time. These two local preachers were greatly 
assisted in their work bv a British officer, 
named Captain Webb. The first Methodist 
Church was built in John Street, New York, 
1768. The Society consisted of but five mem- 
bers. As green forests sleep in the tiny cup of 
acorns, so grand possibilities slumbered in this 
mustard seed of vital religion. 

Q. — Who else pioneered Methodism in 
this country ? 

A. — 1769. Richard Boardman and Joseph 

Pilmore, the first itinerant preachers sent out 

by Mr. Wesley, arrived in America, the former 

was stationed at John Street Church, BT, Y., 

and the latter as pastor in Philadelphia. 

1771. Francis Asbury and Richard Wright 
came. The latter soon returned to England, 
but Mr. Asbury remained, and became the most 



12 YOUNG METHODIST. 

memorable and influential man in American 
Methodism. 

Q. — When was the first Conference held? 

A. — 1773. The first Annual Conference was 
held in Philadelphia. The roll of names : 
Thomas Rankin, R. Boardman, J. Pilmore, 
Francis Asbury, R. Wright, George Shadford, 
Thomas Webb, John King, A. Whitworth, Jos. 
Yearby. Thomas Rankin presided. The busi- 
ness was simple and brief. It consisted mainly 
i:i the agreement of the preachers to abide by 
the doctrines and discipline of Mr. Wesley. 
There were then but ten traveling preachers, 
s'x circuits, and 1160 members. 

Q. — When and by whom was Metho- 
dism introduced into Virginia and North 
Carolina? 

A. — 1774. Robert Williams began to form 
Societies in Virginia. 

1776. The first circuit was organized in 
North Carolina, and called the "Carolina" cir- 
cuit. 

Robert Williams came from England, landed 
in America, 1769. To him belongs the honor 
of introducing Methodism into Virginia and 
North Carolina. He was a rousing preacher, 
and instrumental in the salvation of many souls. 



YOUNG METHODIST. 13 

Organization of the Church. 

Q. — When were the Societies, gathered 
by the pioneer Methodist preachers, organ- 
ized into a regularly constituted Church ? 

A. — The "Methodist Episcopal Church" was 
formally organized in 1784, Dec. 25th, in Balti- 
more, by a Conference of Ministers, called to- 
gether by Dr. Coke, an assistant of Mr. Wesley, 
and sent over from England for the purpose of 
consummating such organization. 

Q. — What was the result of this organ- 
ization ? 

A. — The Methodists of America were no 
longer mere societies within the pale of the 
English Church, but were themselves a properly 
constituted Gospel Church of God. They are 
now "A congregation of faithful men in which 
the pure Word of God is preached and the 
Sacraments are duly administered according to 
Christ's ordinance, in all those things that of 
necessity are requisite to the same." 

It is a Methodist Episcopal Church — not a 
Congregational nor a Presbyterian Church. It 
is a Church governed and superintended by 
Bishops, who are elected and ordained to the 
work of the Episcopacy. 



14 THE SHIELD OF THE 

Mr. Wesley prepared a form of Discipline for 
the use of the Methodists, which contained the 
Articles of Keligion, the General Rules, a Rit- 
ual for ordination, and other services of the 
Church, As already stated, the preachers as- 
nembled in General Conference, received Dv. 
Coke in his office as Bishop, and elected Fran- 
cis Asbury to the same office, in accordance to 
Mr. Wesley's direction. The Conference adopt- 
ed the Discipline as their ecclesiastical constitu- 
tion, and thus became a regularly and a fully 
organized Christian Church. 



. LESSON 3, 
THE ORGANIZATION OF THE METHODIST 
EPISCOPAL CHURCH, SOUTH 



Q,™ When did the Methodist Episcopal 
Church separate into two distinct organi- 
zations ? 

A.— 1844. "The Plan of Separation" be- 
tween the Northern and Southern Methodists 
was agreed upon. The General Conference 
met in New York on the first of May. The 
feelings on the slavery question quite stormy. 
Bishop Andrew having become connected with 



YOUNG METHODIST, 15 

slavery by marriage, was censured by a resolu- 
tion requiring him to "desist from the exercise 
of his office so long as this impediment remains.'' 
Passed by majority of 110 to 68. There being 
no possibility of reconciliation, "The Plan of 
Separation" was adopted by a large majority. 

Q. — When was the Methodist Episcopal 
Church, South, organized ? 

A. — 1845. The Convention, composed of 
delegates from fourteen Southern Conferences, 
met in Louisville, Ky., on the first of May. It 
was presided over by Bishops Soule and An- 
drew. The Convention proceeded to organize 
"The Methodist Episcopal Church, South/' as 
an independent Branch of Christ's church. 
The doctrines of Arminianism, the peculiar 
usages, and Discipline of Methodism, and eccle- 
siastical polity, remain about the same in both 
churches. 

Q. — When did the first General Con- 
ference of the M. E. Church, South, meet ? 

A. — 1846. The first General Conference of 
the M. E. Church, South, met in Petersburg, 
Ya., in May. William Capers and Robt. Paine 
elected Bishops. Prom this time on our Gene- 
ral Conference has met quadrennially. The 



16 THE SHIELD OF THE 

^Northern church refusing to divide the property 
of the Book Concern in pro rata proportion, a 
suit was commenced in the United States Court, 
which was finally decided in favor of the church 
South. The court decided that the ministers 
of the South had vested rights in the profits of 
the Book establishment, and by this decision 
the church South held the printing establish- 
ments of Richmond, Charleston, and Nash- 
ville. The debts due from persons residing 
within the limits of the Southern Conferences, 
and two hundred and seventy thousand dollars 
in cash were paid to the M. E. Church, South. 

Q. — When was the system of lay dele- 
gates adopted in our Church ? 

A. — 1860. The General Conference adopted 
a system of lay delegation both in the General 
and Annual Conferences, The probationary 
period of members was abolished, and the rule 
on class-meetings made voluntary instead of 
being compulsory. The M. E. Church, South, 
has prosecuted its work vigorously throughout 
its bounds, and its statistical tables show a 
rapid and steady increase in all the departments 
of church work. 



YOUNG METHODIST. 



17 



i 

o 
m 

o 

I 



o 






M 



f 



I 



H 

H 

S M 



L 

! O 
i c 

Ifc 

il 



O 



02 



gsis 



3d k 



^^ 



sag 
ss s 

53 >d 0) 



CO C-33 
x M S&c 

„OX 

■+-' id ,-T 
»o r -.d 



CO QO 



33 



.'O 



GS 



* 2 
ord 



x^£ ^ .h-) o 

-JA 03 ^ ^ iS-C 






fe O 



£\a 03 v d ^ * 
d T i-P r *r! 



!tt -C ® 



^•-8 



03 03 4) 



o S 

35 3D 



03 43 

go 



o c c rn ^ ^ 






■5^ 



J- 


*M op ao co r* so 


rH CS X i— 1 


Ifl CO 


CO wS X 


j „ 


ofc 


i— 4 O rH i— 1 O ^1 


TO "M OJ T+4 


-* -rr 


>-^ -H -H 


\n 


t^ 


xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 


— H 


*-* ^H — 4 1— 1 — * r* < 


• -H — H —4 *-H 


—H — 


•— 4 — ( »H 


r ~ i 



J 53 33 

<^ M' K 
►> S3 53 

03 ww 



' >> : : d ' • J ® * : : 

53^ i53z2-r<33S^a53« 
03 35 .^ - 2^'-' 53 



fcaQd2HO>tfO>aD§>^ttrq><! 



HTtiCQCffiCJHCXM'tCJ^COa 
OOOSOOJCiXOHHONCSlHCO'MW'M 

t^t^r^t^t-i^xxxxxxxxxxx 






^ : ^q rH oi t- 



03 



£>.= 



d !C 5*d G^2- • d 
• 2 O » 2 " u :2«p-«3^ 



• 03 3D 

: %■ u 



o ^2 Si 



d : - : d 
d • 03 d 
2§g| 



03 U 

U 03 



*-4 en ri 



*©"£ 

O A 
^ $ 

Qx 



3Q 



og 



^ 53 3 Sph^.S 



>-•% 35 



9 S £ S 

.St d *■< 

:^PHgW 




uu 4 b jH oqco^rt^iOio»o^cococD 
P9UTPDJO GCai00CGCaoc ^ )0COCQl0Q000 



CD CD 
X X 



o>i oq >i c^ 

X X X X 
X X X X 



18 THE SHIELD OF THE 

Give the Statistics of M. E. Church, South, 

May 8, 1882. 

Number of Bishops 8 

Number of Traveling Preachers 6,604 

Number of Local Preachers 5,099 

Number of Lay Members . 860,687 

Number of Sunday-School Pupils 4(32,321 

Number of Sunday-School Teachers 62,442 

Number of Presiding Elders 244 

Number of Foreign Missions 3 

Number of Foreign Missionaries... 47 

Number of Annual Conferences 39 

' - — - — :0: 

CHAPTER II. 
ARTICLES OF RELIGION. 

LESSON 4. 



The Church being regularly organized and 
officered, the Articles of Religion were adopted 
as her standard of Faith. The Twenty-five 
Articles of Religion were extracted by Mr. 
Wesley, from the Thirty-nine Articles of the 
Church of England. We give these Articles 
with Scripture quotations, and such notes as 
tend to explain the meaning and importance of 
them. 



YOUNG METHODIST. 19 

Articles of Religion. 

Repeat Article 1... in reference to 

Faith in the Holy Trinity. 

There is but one living and true God, ever- 
lasting, without body or parts, of infinite pow- 
er, wisdom, and goodness ; the maker and pre- 
server of all things, visible and invisible. And 
in unity of this Godhead there are three per- 
sons, of one substance, power and eternity — the 
Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. 

Give the Proofs. — Hear, O Israel : The Lord our 
God is one Lord. Deut. 6 : 4. One God and Father 
of all. Eph. 4 : 6. But the Lor d is the true God. 
He is the living God. Jer. 10 : 10. From everlast- 
ing to everlasting thou art God. Ps. 90: 2. God 
is a Spirit. John 4: 24. The Lord God omnipotent 
reigneth. Rev. 19: 6. To God only wise, be glory. 
Rom. 16: 27. The Lord is good to all; and his ten- 
der mercies are over all his works. Ps. 145 : 9. There 
are three that bear record in heaven— the Father, the 
Word, and the Holy Ghost. — 1 John 5 : 7. 

Q. — Does the Bible attempt to prove the 
existence of God? 

A. — -No. The Bible assumes the existence 
of God. "The Architect is simply named in 
the description of the building." It is left to 
the reader to see the eternal cause in the stu- 
pendous effect before, him. There can be no 
effect without an adequate cause. This is a 
self-evident truth. Common sense leads men 



20 THE SHIELD OF THE 

to believe that the existence of a house implies 
a builder; the picture implies a painter, a 
watch implies a watchmaker. So the existence 
of the world, the earth, sun, moon, and stars, 
implies an eternal Creator. This universe could 
not have built itself; such a supposition is a 
bold contradiction. Because it implies the ex- 
istence of a thing possessed of creative powers 
before it did exist. 

Q. — What are the natural attributes of 
God? 

A. — 1. He is eternal, having neither begin- 
ning nor end of years. 

2. He is omnipresent, being in all places at the 
same time. 

3. He is owjiisdent, knowing all things in 
heaven and earth. 

4. He is omnipotent, being able to do what- 
ever He pleases. 

5. He is immutable, having a perfect nature 
that never changes. 

6. He is an absolute unity, the essence of 
whose being is indivisible. 

7. He is also a trinity, the persons of whose 
being are three — the Father, the Son, and the 
Holy Spirit. 

Q.-*— What are his moral attributes % 



YOUNG METHODIST. 21 

A. — 1. God is love, having a fatherly affection 
towards the world of mankind. 

2. He is holy, being perfectly free from all 
kinds of sin and impurity. 

3. He is just, rendering to every man reward 
or punishment, according to his deserts. 

4. He is merciful, always inclined to pity the 
miserable and help them. 

5. He is truthful, always representing things 
exactly as they are. 



Iiejyeat. .Article II .in reference to 

The Word, or Son of God, who wds made very 
man. — The Son, w r ho is the Word of the Father, 
the very and eternal God, of one substance 
with the Father, took man's nature in the 
womb of the blessed virgin, so that two whole 
and pertect natures, that is to say, the Godhead 
and manhood, were joined together in one per- 
son, never to be divided, whereof is one Christ, 
very God and very man, w T ho truly suffered, 
was crucified, dead and buried, to reconcile his 
Father to us, and to be a sacrifice, not only for 
original guilt, but also for the actual sins of 
men. 

Give the Proofs. — There is one God, and one Me- 
diator between God and man, the man Jesus Christ, 



22 THE SHIELD OF THE 

1 Tim, 2:5. In the beginning was the Word, and 
the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 
Johnl: 1. The Word was made flesh, and dwelt 
among ns, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of 
the only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and 
truth. John 1 : 14. Forasmuch then as the children 
are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself 
likewise took part of the same. Heb. 2:14. The 
Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of 
the Highest shall overshadow thee. Luke 1 : 3o. 

Q. — Does the Bible teach that Christ is 
God? 

A. — Yes. Jesus Christ is' God, being the Word 
or Logos.— "In the beginning was the "Word." 
"For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the 
Godhead bodily." "For by Him were all 
things created, that are in heaven, and that are 
in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be 
thrones or dominions, or principalities, or pow- 
ers, all things were created by Him and for 
Him. He is before all things, and by Him all 

things consists/ 7 "For it pleased the Father 

that in Him, should all fullness dwell." — Col. 
1 : 16-19. 

Q. — If Jesus Christ created the world, 
what follows : 

A. — If Christ created the world, then it fol- 
lows necessarily that He is older than the world. 



YOUNG M2TH0DI3T. 23 

The- "builder of a house must be older than the 
house. His pre-existence is thus established. 
Christ is greater than the universe. The maker 
is necessarily grander than the thing made. 
He is greater in extent, greater in power. His 
omnipresence stretches out far beyond the out- 
skirts of this almost immeasurable universe. 
His omnipotence is greater than all the forces 
of nature. He calmed the winds, that sweep 
in the wild rush of the tornado. He controls 
the lightning, that shivers in splinters the sturdy 
oak. The earthquake, lifting a continent upon 
its gigantic shoulders, he wielded to liberate 
Paul and Silas from imprisonment. He is 
owner of all things. Creation gives the most 
valid title to all things made.. "For Him all 
things were created." All temporal things are 
but as a scaffold used to build up the great tem- 
ple of salvation among men. 

Q. — Is Jesus Christ also man ? 

A.— Yes. Jesus Christ is man, possessing all 
the normal characteristics of humanity. 

Give the Proofs. — The Word was made flesh, and 

dwelt among us, full of grace and truth. John 1 : 

t: 14. Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, 

and bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His name 
Jesus. Luke 1 : 31. 



24 THE SHIELD OF THE 

Q. — Are both the Divine and human na- 
tures united in Christ? 

A. — Yes. Jesus Christ is God-man — being; 
the union of God and man in one person. As 
man, He slept in the ship; as God, He calmed 
the raging storm. As man, He hungered ; as 
God, He multiplied the five loaves to feed five 
thousand people. As man, He wept over the 
grave of Lazarus ; as God, He raised him from 
the dead. As man, He suffered and died ; as 
God, He raised His own , body from the grave, 

Q. — What follows from all this ? 

A. — That Jesus Christ is both very God and 
very man ; and therefore Christ is a great me- 
diator between God and man — being the only 
one in the universe, who can comply perfectly 
with all the required conditions of such media- 
tion. 



Repeat. .Article III in reference to 

The Resurrection of Christ. 
Christ did truly rise again from the dead, and 
took again His body, with all things appertain- 
ing to the perfection of man's nature, where- 
with He ascended into heaven, and there sitteth 
until He return to judge all men at the last 
day. 



YOUNG METHODIST. 25 

Give the Proofs. — Go quickly and tell His disci- 
ples that He is risen from the dead. Matt. 25: 5. 
But He whom God raised again saw no corruption. 
Acts 13 : 37. To this end Christ both died, and rose, 
and revived, that He might be Lord both of the 
dead and living ; for we shall stand before the judg- 
ment-seat of Christ. Rom. 14 : 9, 10. But now is 
Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits 
of them that slept. 1 Cor. 15 : 20. 

Q. — What are the proofs of Christ's res- 
urrection ? 

A. — The ^proofs of Christ's resurrection are 
abundant. Five times He showed Himself alive 
on the day of His resurrection : to Mary Mag- 
dalene, to another company of women, to Peter, 
to two disciples on their way to Emmaus, to the 
eleven ; to St. Thomas in the prayer meeting. 
Then in Galilee, to seven and to five hundred. 
They knew Him by many infallible proofs. He 
showed them the marks of His hands and feet, 
even eating and drinking with His disciples, 
thus proving the verity of His body. The 
Holy Spirit confirmed their faith, for while 
Peter preached the risen Christ "the Holy Ghost 
fell on all them that heard the Word." 

Q. — What did his resurrection demon- 
strate ? 

A. — It demonstrated His Divinity. It estab- 
4 



T6 THE SHIELD OF THE 

lisliecl the truth of His own prediction. "De- 
stroy this temple and in three days I will raise 
it up." "I lay down My life, that I may take 

it again ..I have power to lay it down, and 

I have power to take it again." The Resurrec- 
tion was the infallible proof of His true Messi- 
ahship. For either He arose by His own power, 
and if He did, then He was Divine ; or He was 
raised up by the power of the Father, and if 
this be so, then God sets His seal to His work, 
for God would not raise from the dead an im- 
postor. 

:0: 

LESSOR 5. 



Repeat Article IV in reference to 

The Holy Ghost 

The Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father 
and the Son, is of one substance, majesty, and 
glory With the Father and the Son, very and 
eternal God. 

Give the Proofs. — Baptizing them in the name 
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy 
Ghost. Matt. 28 : 19. When He, the Spirit, is come, 
He will guide you into all truth. John l p > : 13. 
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that 
wa are the children of God. Rom. 8 : 16. The eter- 
nal Spirit. Heb. 9 : 14. Holy men of God spake as 
they were moved by the Holy Ghost. 2 Peter 1 : 12. 



YOUNG METHODIST. £7 

Q. — What does the above Article and 
Scriptures teach ? 

A. — That the Holy Ghost is a Divine Person, 
distinct from the Father and the Son. He pro- 
ceeds from the Father and Son, and therefore 
can be neither, yet He is associated with the 
Father and Son in the divine work of creating 
and preserving all things. The personal pro- 
noun He is applied to one who is another Com- 
forter. "When the Comforter is come whom I 
will send you from the Father, He shall testify 
of Me." 

The Holy Spirit is called God. Peter said, 
"Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to 

lie to the Holy Ghost ? Thou hast not lied 

unto men but unto God." Acts 5: 3, 4. He 
is palled, Ijjternat. Heb. 9: 14. Omnipresent. 
Psa. 139: 7. Omniscient. 1 Cor. 2 : 10. To 
Him is ascribed Wisdom. Eph. 1 : 17; Creation, 
Job 33 : 4; Inspiration, 2 Peter 1: 10. 

Q. — Is the Agency of the Holy Spirit 
taught in the Old Testament Scriptures ? 

A. — Yes, As, "Let us make man in our 
image." "And the Spirit of God moved upon 
the face of the waters." The Spirit of God is 
creative : "The Spirit of God hath made me, 



28 THE SHIELD OF THE 

a id the breath of the Almighty hath given me 
life." He is no less active in Providence : "My 
Spirit shall not always strive with man." He 
is omnipresent: " Whither shall I go from thy 
Spirit ?" 

Repeat Article V. in reference to 

The Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures for Salva- 
tion. 

The Holy Scriptures contain all things neces- 
sary to salvation; so that whatsoever is not 
read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not 
to be required of any man that it should be be- 
lieved as an article of faith, or be thought re- 
quisite or necessary to salvation. In the name 
of the Holy Scripture we do understand those 
canonical books of the Old and New Testament 
of whose authority was never any doubt in the 
Church. The names of the canonical books 
are : — 

Repeat The Canonical Books 

Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuter- 
onomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, The First Book 
of Samuel, The Second Book of Samuel, The 
First Book of Kings, The First Book of Chron- 
icles, The Second Book of Chronicles, The 
Book of Ezra, The Book of Nehemiah, The 



YOUNG METHODIST. 29 

Book of Esther, The Book of Job, The Psalms, 
The Proverbs, Ecclesiastes or the Preacher, 
Oantica or Songs of Solomon, Four Prophets 
the greater, Twelve Prophets the less. 

All the books of the New Testament, as they 
are commonly received, we do receive and ac- 
count canonical. 

Give the Pkoofs. — The law of the Lord is perfect, 
converting the Soul ; the testimony of the Lord is 
sure, making wise the simple. Ps. 19 : 7., Search the 
Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life ; 
and they are they which testify of me. John 5 : 39. 
From a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, 
which are able to make thee wise unto Salvation, 2 Tim. 
3 : 15. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, 
and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correc- 
tion, for instruction in righteousness. 2 Tim. 3 : la. 
And receive the ingrafted word, which is able to save 
your souls. Jas. 1 : 21. 

Q. — What does the above Article teach? 

A. — This Article teaches that the Bible is to 
be appealed to in the final settlement of all ques- 
tions of faith and practice. It is the rule of faith 
and practice. "The Bible, the Bible, is the re- 
ligion of Protestants." But the Catholic 
Church teaches that "Scripture and Tradition, 
and these explained by the Catholic clergy, is 
the rule of faith." The bulls of Popes filling 
eight volumes, the Decretals, Acts of Councils, 



30 THE SHIELD OF THE 

the Acts Sanctum, making ninety volumes, an 
unlimited mass of unwritten traditions, which' 
have been accumulating, like drift wood on a 
river, from the commencement of the christian 
era up to the present time — all thes3 cumbrous, 
human, inventions added to the Bible, constitute 
the Catholic rule of faith. The Council of 
Trent decreed that these traditions, both writ- 
ten and unwritten, are of equal authority with 
the Bible, and he that denies this shall be ac- 
cursed. But Methodism in common with all 
Protestants, teaches that "the Holy Scriptures 
contain all things necessary to salvation." 

Q. — Who oppose, and who recommend 
the reading of the Bible ? 

A.— The Romanists oppose the private read- 
ing of the Bible as a sin. But we hold that the 
truths of the Bible are addressed to all, and are 
comprehensible by all, and therefore the com-, 
mand— Search the Scriptures — is equally bind- 
ing upon all. 

"The Word of God is the book of the com- 
mon people ; it is the working-man's book ; it 
is the child's book ; it is the slave's book ; it is 
the book of every creature that is down-trod- 
den ; it is a book that carries with it the leaven 
of God's soul ; it is a book that tends to make 



YOUNG METHODIST. 31 

men larger and better and sweeter, and that 
succors them all through life ; and do you sup- 
pose it is going to be lost out of the world ? 
When the Bible is lost out of the world, it will 
be because there are no men in it who are in 
trouble and need succoring; no men who are 
Oppressed and need release ; no men who are 
in darkness and need light; no men who are 
hungry and need food ; no men who are sinning 
and need mercy ; no men who are lost and need 
the salvation of God, 

Let us, therefore, take the Word of God as 
our friend, and hold it. to our heart, and make 
it the man of our counsel, our guide, the lamp 
to our feet, the light to our path. Use it as 
God meant it to be used — as the soul's food and 
the soul's joy — and it shall be your life's rest." 



:o: 



LESSOR 6. 



Hepcat.. ...Article VI in reference to 

The Old Testament. 

The Old Testament is not contrary to the 

New ; for both in the Old and New Testament 

everlasting life is offered to mankind by Christ, 

who is the only Mediator between God and 



32 THE SHIELD OF THE 

man, being both God and man. Wherefore 
they are not to be heard who feign that the old 
fathers did look only for transitory promises. 
Although the law given from God by Moses, as 
touching ceremonies and rites, doth not bind 
Christians, nor ought the civil precepts thereof 
of necessity be received in any commonwealth ; 
yet, notwithstanding, no Christian whatsoever 
is free from the obedience of the command- 
ments which are called moral. 

Give the Proofs. — Beginning at Moses and all the 
prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scrip- 
tures the things concerning Himself. And He said 
unto them, These are the words which I spake unto 
you while I was yet with you, that all things must be 
fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses, and 
in the prophets, and in the Psalms concerning me. 
Luke 24 : 27-44-45. Think not that I am come to de- 
stroy the law or the prophets ; I am not come to de- 
stroy, but to fulfill. Matt. 5 : 17. 

Q. — How do you prove the harmony of 

the Old and New Testament ? 

A. — The harmony of the Old and New T Testa- 
ment is clearly seen in the fact that Christ and 
the apostles made frequent quotations from the 
former. Some writer has shown that about 
ninety quotations from the Old Testament are 
found in the teaching of Christ. To establish 



YOUNG METHODIST. 33 

the resurrection against the Sadducees, Christ 
quotes from Ex. 3:6. To establish the primi- 
tive institution of marriage quotes from Gen. 1 : 
27. To answer the question as to the great 
commandment, quotes from Dent. 6 : 5. To 
show that David's Son was David's Lord, from 
Ps. 110 : 1. To preach a sermon, from Isa. 61 : 
1. Besides these and many more, there are 
references in our Lord's discourses to Jonah 
as a type of the resurrection ; to the brazen ser- 
pent; to the living water and manna in the 
desert ; to Abel, Noah, Abraham, Lot, Solo- 
mon, Moses, Elijah, and Daniel. When tempt- 
ed by the Devil, His great weapon of defence 
was, "It is written." It is clear that Christ 
studied the Old Scriptures with devoted care> 
and made constant use of their truths in His 
teachings. "The two Testaments, Old and 
New, like two breasts of the same person, give 
the same milk." The river of Salvation took 
its rise in the mountains of Judea, and de- 
scended into the plain of the Gospel, and like 
the Nile, spreaded beauty and fertility along its 
deepening and widening course* 



34 THE SHIELD OF THE 

Repeat Article VII in reference to 

Original or Birth Sin. 
Original sin standeth not in the following of 
Adam, (as the Pelagians do vainly talk,) but it 
is the corruption of the nature of every man, 
that naturally is engendered of the off-spring of 
Adam, whereby man is very far gone from orig- 
inal righteousness, and of his own nature in- 
clined to evil, and that continually. 

Give the Proofs. — By one man sin entered into 
the world, and death by sin, and so death passed 
upon all men, for that all have sinned. Bom. 5 : 12. 
By one man's disobedience many were made sinners. 
Bom. 5 : 19. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and 
i i sin did my mother conceive me. Psa. 51 : 5. And 
were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 
Eph. 2 : 3. 

Q. — What did the Pelagians teach ? 

A. — The doctrine of the Pelagians was that 
children are born pure and innocent, and that 
they become corrupt by outside influences, by 
imitating or following evil examples, by vicious 
education and society. 

Q. — What is the true view ? 

A. — The orthodox view is that this native 
corruption is derived from a sinful ancestry, in 
whose loss of purity their whole posterity is in- 
volved. This view represents the depravity of 



YOUNG METHODIST. 35 

human nature as coming from the laws of nat- 
ural descent, the child inheriting from the pa- 
rent a corrupt nature, prone to evil, in conse- 
quence of which he runs easily into open sin. 
"Adam begat a Son in his own likeness." Gen. 
6 : 5. "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and 
in sin did my mother conceive me." Ps. 51 : 5. 
"From within, out of the heart of men, proceed 
evil thoughts." Mark 7: 21. On these pass- 
ages and others the doctrine of original sin is 
based. There is nothing unreasonable in this 
doctrine. For it is well known that men do 
transmit bodily ailments and mental peculiari- 
ties to their children. Dishonest men tend to 
have dishonest children. Thieves tend to breed 
thieves ; murderers, murderers ; drunkards, 
drunkards; insane men propagate insanity. 

Q. — What benefits do children derive 
from the atonement of Christ ? 

A. — "The benefits of Christ's death are co- 
extensive with the sin of Adam, (Rom. 5 : 18,) 
hence all children dying in infancy partake of 
the free gift." "Infants are not indeed born 
justified; nor are they capable of that voluntary 
acceptance of the benefits of the free gift which 
is necessary in the case of adults ; but on the 



£6 THE SHIELD OF THE 

other hand, they cannot reject it, and it is by 
the rejection of it that adults perish. The pro- 
cess by which grace is communicated to infants 
is not revealed ; the manner doubtless differs 
from that employed toward adults." — Watsov. 

44 Children are born into the world sustaining 
through the atonement, such a relation to the 
moral kingdom of God, as that they are proper 
subjects of God's regenerating grace, and those 
dying in infancy come into actual possession of 
all these blessings. They may now be prepared 
for and admitted into the kingdom by the 
grace of God. This is sufficiently evident from 
our Lord's words, " Suffer the little children to 
come unto Me and forbid them not, for of such 
is the kingdom of heaven."- — Dr. Ilaymoml. 

Q. — How soon may we look for the con- 
version of children ? 

A. — Christ says, "Except ye be converted 
and become as little children ye shall not enter 
the kingdom of heaven." We reverse His say- 
ing. Our reading to the children is, Except ye 
become as grown men and be converted. The 

vine need not trail on the ground till i: is ten 
years old, and then be trained on the trellis. 
The only way to ensure a good peach is to cut 
back the stick that otows from the stone, and 



YOUNG METHODIST. 37 

put on a new graft. In God's kingdom the 
best fruit grows from thd stone. The son need 
not wailder off from his father's home, spend 
his substance in riotous living, and eat the husks 
that the swine do feed on, in order to be accept- 
able to his father, and have the best robe, and 
the ring, and the fatted calf. The immeasura- 
ble love of God gives us this infinite grace, not 
because of our wanderings, but in spite of 
them. 

How old must a rosebud be before it receives 
that life that enables it to blossom ? It may bo 
stunted and dwarfed and die ; the blossom may 
never come. But the normal law of God is 
rosebud and blossom on every bush. 



■:o: 



LESSON 7. 



Repeat Article VIII An reference to 

Free Will. 

The condition of man after the fall of Adam 
is such that he cannot turn and prepare him- 
self, by his own natural strength and works, to 
faith, and calling upon God ; wherefore w r e 
have no power to do good works, pleasant and 



88 THE SHIELD OF THE 

acceptable to God, without the grace of God by 
Christ preventing us, that we may have a good 
will, and working with us, when w T e have that 
good will. 

Give the Proofs. — I am the vine, ye are the 
branches. He that abideth in Me and I in him, the 
&aftie bringeth forth much fruit : for without Me ye 
can do nothing. John 15 : 5. When we were yet 
without strength, in due time Christ died for the un- 
godly. Rom. 5 : 6. You hath He quickened, who 
were dead in trespasses and sins. Eph. 2: 1, 5. 

Q. — What does ''preventing ' mean in 
this Article ? 

A. — The term "preventing" has here the old 
English meaning of "going before and helping." 

Q. — What power is necessary to con- 
vert man ? 

A. — Man is convicted and converted by the 
power of the Holy Ghost, but the will of man 
must co-operate in the work. The Divine 
Spirit is like the mother's heart. It is univer- 
sal and infinite. It is the mother-soul of the 
universe, with infinite power, and sweetness, 
and beauty, and glory, shining clown upon all 
men, good and bad, high and low, ignorant and 

educated, and stimulating them to be better, to 
be nobler, to be higher ; and what time any 
man accepts the influence of the Divine Spirit, 



YOUNG METHODIST. . 39 

and co-operates with it, that moment the work 
is done by the stimulus of God acting with the 
practical energy and will of the human soul.'' 

Q. — Must man co-operate with the 
Spirit in working out his salvation ? 

A. — Yes. "Work out your own salvation 
with fear and trembling, for it is Grod which 
worketh in you both to will and to do of His 
good pleasure." 

"The Divine Spirit is atmospheric, and it be- 
comes personal whenever any person appropri- 
ates it. The sunlight has in it all harvests ; but 
we do not reap a single thing until that sun- 
light is appropriated by some root, or some leaf, 
or some blossom, or something in the ground. 
The sunlight on the Sahara has neither wheat 
nor corn. These are only to be had in the 
field where seeds are planted, where the nature 
of the seeds works with the sunlight, and where 
the soil is quickened and stimulated by the heat 
and moisture that go with them. The divine 
influence works in men to will and to do by 
their nature, by their very law of organization ; 
and when a man becomes converted, it is by 
both the divine influence and the exercise of his 
own energies. That is to say, they co-operate. 
It is a unitary, although a complex, work. 



40 THE SHIELD OF THE 

Repeat Article IX in reference (o 

The Justification of Man. 

We are accounted righteous before God only 

for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus 

Christ by faith, and not for our own works or 

deservings. Wherefore, that we are justified 

by faith only, is a most wholesome doctrine, 

and very full of comfort. 

Give the Proofs. — By grace are ye saved through 
faith; and that not of yourselves : it is trie gift of 
God : not of works, lest any man should boast. Eph. 
2 : 8, 9. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified 
by faith without the deeds of the law. Rom. 3:2'. 
Being justified by faith, we have peace with God 
through our Lord Jesus Christ. Rom. 5:1. 

Q. — What doctrine is taught in the 
above $ 

1* Doctrine: — The originating cause of justi- 
fication is the free spontaneous love of God. 
•'God so loved the world that He rave His onlv 
Begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him 
.should not perish but have everlasting life." 

2. The meritorious ground of pardon is the 
atonement of Jesus Christ. It is through Jesus 
Christ. We are "justified by His blood." "Re- 
conciled to God by the death of His Son." 
"Christ o.nce suffered for sins." 

3. Personal faith is the instrumental cause of 



YOUNG METHODIST. 41 

justification. It is through faith. "Being jus- 
tified by faith." Saving faith excludes works as 
a ground of justification. It is not by the merit 
of faith itself; but only by faith, as that which 
embraces and appropriates the merit of Christ. 
Faith is the hand, receicing the gift of salvation. 
Results : — First, restoration to divine favor ; 
"we have peace with God." Second, adoption 
into the family of God j "If children, then 
heirs — heirs, of God.'' "Whom He justifies, 
them He also glorifies." 



■:o: 



LESSON 8. 



Repeat.. Article X in reference to 

Good Works. 

Although good works, which are the fruits 
of faith, and follow after justification, cannot 
put away our sins, and endure the severity of 
God's judgments ; yet are they pleasing and 
acceptable to God in Christ, and spring out of 
a true and lively faith, insomuch that by them 
a lively faith may be as evidently known as a 
tree is discerned by its fruit. 

Give the Proofs. — By the deeds of the law there 
shall no flesh be justified in his sight. Rom. 3 : 20. 
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, 



42 THE SHIELD OF THE 

but according to His mercy He saved. Titus 3 : 5. Ye 
are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 
John 15 : 14. Blessed are they that do His command- 
ments, that they may have right to the tree of life, 
and enter in through the gates into the city. Rev. 22 : 
11. A man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have 
works. Show me the faith without Thy works, and 
I will show thee my faith by my works. Faith with- 
out works is dead. James 2 ; 18, 19. See also Parable 
of Talents. Matt. 25 : 14. 

Q. — What is the teaching of the Bible 
as to faith and good works ? 

A. — The Bible clearly teaches that faith in 
Christ is the ground of salvation, but that good 
works are the measure of our reward. Saved 
by faith, but preserved by good works, is the 
true doctrine. 

Good works may be defined to be : Right 
motives flowing out into right actions. Good works 
are the outward expression of good feelings. 
Grace in the heart is the fountain ; the good 
works are the streams flowing from it. Love 
and good works are fountain and stream. And 
in proportion to the fullness of the lake of 
grace in the heart, will be the greatness, beauty, 
and fertility of the rivers of good works flowing 
from it. A feeble fountain will produce a fee- 
ble stream. 



YOUNG METHODIST. 43 

Q. — What else does the said Article 
condemn ? 

A. — The above Article also levels its force 
against the Catholic doctrine of good works as 
having an atoning merit in them. Thus, it was 
taught that when men made pilgrimages, went 
through a course of fasting, gave donations, 
repeated the Credo, the Ave, the Pater Noster ; — 
these were set down to their credit as so much 
over against wrong doing. They falsely as- 
sumed religion to be a mere business conducted 
as the transaction of a man's store, where books 
of debt and credit were kept. 



LESSON 9. 



Repeat.. Article XI in reference to 

Works of Supererogation. 
Voluntary works, besides, over, and above 
God's commandments, which are called works 
of supererogation, cannot be taught without 
arrogancy and impiety. For by them men do 
declare that they do not only render unto God 
as much as they are bound to do, but that they 
do more for His sake than of bounden duty are 
required : whereas Christ saith plainly, "When 



44 THE SHIELD OF THE 

ye have done all that is commanded you, say, 
We are unprofitable servants. 

Give trie Proofs. — Is it any pleasure to the Al- 
mighty that thou art righteous, or is it gain to Him 
that thou makest thy ways perfect? Job 22 : 3. So 
likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things 
which are commanded you, say, we are unprofitable 
servants ; we have done that which was our duty to 
do Luke 17: 10. 

Q. — What error of the Catholic Church 
is condemned by this Article ? 

A. — Tlie error of the Catholic Church, 
against which this Article is directed, teaches 
that "there is an immense treasure of merit 
composed of the pious deeds of the saints, 
which they have performed beyond what was 
necessary for their own salvation, and which 
were applicable to the benefit of others." But 
the Bible teaches that the circle of duty takes 
in the. entire ability of man, and therefore leaves 
no room for the works of supererogation. Out 
of the doctrine of supererogation came the 
wicked system of selling inclulgencies to com- 
mit sin, which so shocked Luther as moved 
lam to begin and carry on the great work of 
the, German Reformation. 



YOUNG METHODIST. 45 

Repeat ..Article XII in reference to 

Sin after Justification. 

Xot every sin willingly committed after justi- 
fication is the sin against the Holy Ghost, and 
unpardonable. Wherefore, the grant of repent- 
ance is not to be denied to such as fall into sin 
after justification : after we have received the 
Holy Ghost, we may depart from grace given, 
and fall into sin, and, by the grace of God, rise 
again and amend our lives. And therefore 
they are to be condemned who say they can 
no more sin as long as they live here ; or deny 
the place of forgiveness to such a$ truly repent. 

Give the Proofs.— Return, ye backsliding chil- 
dren, and I will heal your backsliding. Jer. 3 : 22. 
If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, 
Jesus Christ, the righteous. 1 John 2: 1, 2. If we 
o:i:ess our sins, He is' faithful an 1 just to f >rgive u< 
our sins. 1 John 1: 9; Remember therefore from 
whence thou art fallen ; and repent, and do the first 
works. Rev. 2:5. 

Q. — What error does this Article con- 
demn ? 

A. — This Article denies the dogma anciently 
taught by some, that every sin committed after 
justification is the sin against the Holy Ghost. 

Q. — What is the sin against the Holy 
Ghost? 



46 THE SHIELD OF THE 

A. — The sin against the Holy Ghost is ascri- 
bing the miraculous works of Christ to the 
agency of the Devil. The Scribes said, "He 
(Christ) hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of 
the devils casteth He out devils." And Christ 
commenting on this charge, says : "But he that 
shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath 

never forgiveness Because they said, He 

hath an unclean Spirit" This unpardonable sin 
is that grade of wickedness and settled malig- 
nity, that hardening of the heart, which is not 
the result of ignorance, but of a deliberate, sys- 
tematic, and persevering opposition to clearly 
demonstrated and unmistakable truth. 

Q.- — What is the moral state of such 
sinners? 

A. — They have reached such a state of moral 
desperation, thai they will not ask or receive par- 
don on the conditions of the Gospel. The un- 
pardonable state is in the man — not in the 
unwillingness of God to forgive. The sign of 
this condition is utter, moral insensibility. 
Wherever there is spiritual sensibility enough to 
make a man fear he has committed it, it is cer- 
tain prool that he has not. 



YOUNG METHODIST. 47 

LESSOR 10. 



Repeat Article XIII in reference to 

The Church 
The visible Church of Christ is a congrega- 
tion of faithful men, in which the pure word of 
God is preached, and the sacraments duly ad- 
ministered, according to Christ's ordinance, in 
all things that of necessity are requisite to the 
same. 

Give the Proofs. — Unto the Church of God to 

them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be 
saints, with all that in every place call upon the name 
of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours. 1 Coi\ 
1 : 2. And He gave some apostles ; and some proph* 
ets ; and some evangelists ; and some pastors and 
teachers ; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work 
of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christv 
Eph. 4: 11,12. 

Q. — What four fundamental points are 
involved in the above definition of a Gos- 
pel Church ? 

A. — In the analysis we have : (1) A congre- 
gation of faithful men. (2) The recognition of 
the Bible or the pure Word of God as the rule 
of faith and practice. (3) The recognition of 
the living Ministry, to preach and expound this 
word. (4) The Sacraments (Baptism and the 



AS THE SHIELD OF THE 

Lord's Supper) properly administered. These 
are the four corner stones of the church, which 
Christ founded on the rock— His own Divine 
Character. The definition harmonises perfectly 
•with the elements found in the apostolic Church 
as described in the Acts of the Apostles ; and 
allows all Methodists to recognize all other de- 
nominations as being Gospel Churches, that 
come in the scope of the above definition. 

Q. — What is the cause of denomina- 
tional exclusiveness? 

A. — -Denominational exclusiveness grows out 
of a false definition of what a Gospel Church 
is. To illustrate : the Romanish authority de- 
fines a church thus : u The company of chris- 
tians knit together by the profession of the same 
faith and communion of the same sacraments, 
tinder the government of lawful pastors, and 
especially of the Roman Bishop as the only Vicar 
of Christ on earth." Thus it makes the su- 
premacy of the Pope an essential element of a 
Gospel Church. Consequently, it would logi- 
cally follow that the Catholic is the only true 
church. Hence Romish bigotry. The Baptists 
define : "A visible church of Christ is a congre- 
gation of baptized (immersed) believers," &c. 



YOUNG METHODIST. 49 

This definition cuts off all churches, whose' 
members are not immersed. Hence their ex- 
clusiveness. 



Notes. 



1. The entire bodv of regenerated believers 
in every period of time, in earth, or in heaven, 
is termed the General Church. 

Proof. — I bow my knees unto the Father of 
our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole fam- 
ily in heaven and earth is named. — Eph. 3 : 14, 15. 

2. All persons, adults or infants, baptized or 
unbaptized, in heathen or christian lands, mem- 
bers or not members of the organized Church, 
icho are in a solvable or justified state, constitute 
the invisible Church. 

Proof. — Then Peter opened his mouth and 
said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no re- 
specter of persons. But, in every nation, he 
that feareth Him and worketh righteousness, 
is accepted with Him. — Acts 10 : 34, 35. 

3. Converted persons, while contending with 
evil on earth, constitute the Church militant ; 
while those saved in heaven constitute the 
Church triumphant 



53 THE SHIELD OF THE 

Repeat Article XIV in reference to 

Purgatory. 

The Romish doctrine concerning purgatory, 
pardon, worshiping and adoration, as well of 
images as of relics, and also invocation of saints, 
is a fond thing, vainly invented, and grounded 
upon no warrant of Scriptures, but repugnant 
to the word of God. 

Give the Pxoofs. — Who can forgive sins but God 
cnly ? Mark 2 : 7. Thou shalt not make unto thee 
any graven image. Ex. 20 : 4. Thou shalt worship 
the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve. 
Matt. 4 : 10. 

Q. — What does this Article condemn? 

A. — This Article condemns a cluster of 
Romish errors. The first is that of purgatory. 
The doctrine of the Romish purgatory implies 
a second probation for certain men. But the 
Bible teaches that there is no second probation 
after death. "In the place where the tree fall- 
ctli, there it shall be.' 7 Eccles. 11 : 3. "He that 
is unjust, let him be unjust still, and he which 
is filthy let him be filthy still." Rev. 22 : 11. 
"Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he reap." 
We are cleansed from sin, not by purgatorial 
fires, but by the blood of Christ. There is not a 
single passage of Scripture properly expounded 
favoring this doctrine. The second error is 



YOUNG METHODIST. 51 

priestly absolution. God alone exercises tl e 
right to pardon sin. '"Who can forgive sins 

but God only ?" Mark 2 : 7. 

«/ 

The third is image-worship, which is positively 
forbidden. "Thou shalt not make unto thee 
any graven image," etc. "I fell down to wor- 
ship before the feet of the angel who showed me 
these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou 
do it not ; for I am thy fellow-servant : Worship 
God/' Rev. 22 : 8, 9. 

The fourth error is praying to departed saints 
to intercede in behalf of men on earth. This 
doctrine makes saints sub-mediators between God 
and men, whereas the Word teaches "There is 
one God, and one Mediator between God and 
men — the man Christ Jesus." 1 Tim. 2 : 5. 



■:o:- 



LESSOX 11 



Repeat Article XV in reference to 

Speaking to the Congregation in such a Tongue 

as the People Understand. 

It is a thing plainly repugnant to the word 
of God, and the custom of the Primitive Church 
to have public prayer in the Church, or to min- 



52 THE SHIELD OF THE 

ister the sacraments, in a tongue not understood 
by the people. 

Give the Proofs. — He that speaketh in an un- 
known tongue, speaketh not unto men but unto God ; 
for no man understandeth him. In the Church I had 

rather speak five words with my understanding 

than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue. 
1 Cor. 14 : 2, 19. 

Q. — What does this Article condemn % 
A. — This Article justly condemns the Roman 
Catholic practice of reading the service in the 
Latin language to English congregations. It 
is "plainly repugnant to the Word of God." 
To conduct the public prayers of the church in 
an unknown tongue is not only contrary to 
common sense, but to the custom of the Primi- 
tive Church. In 202, A. D., Origin says : "The 
Grecians pray to God in the Greek, the Ro- 
mans in the Roman, and every one in his own 
tongue." "The modern practice of intoning 
prayers and other parts of religious worship is 
also unintelligible, and opposed to reasonable 
service." 



Repeat Article XVI in reference to 

The Sacraments. 
Sacraments, ordained of Christ, are not only 
badges or tokens of Christian men's profession, 



YOUNG METHODIST. 52 

but rather they are certain signs of grace, and 
God's good will toward us, by the means of 
which he doth work invisibly in us, and doth 
not only quicken, but also strengthen and con- 
firm our faith in Him. 

There are two sacraments ordained of Christ 
our Lord in the Gospel ; that is to say, Baptism, 
and the Supper of the Lord. 

Those five commonly called sacraments — that 
is to say, confirmation, penance, orders, matri- 
mony, and extreme unction — are not to be 
counted for sacraments of the Gospel, being 
such as have partly grown out of the corrupt 
following of the apostles ; and partly are states 
of life allowed in the Scriptures, but yet have 
not the like nature of Baptism and the Lord's 
Supper, because they have not any visible sign 
or ceremony ordained of God. 

The sacraments were not ordained of Christ 
to be gazed upon, or to be carried about ; but 
that we should duly use them. And in such 
only as worthily receive the same, they have a 
wholesome effect or operation ; but they that 
receive them unworthily, purchase to them- 
selves condemnation, as St. Paul saith. 1 Cor. 
xi: 29. 

Give the Proofs. — Christ ordained but two positive 



54 THE SHIELD OF THE 

Sacraments — Baptism, and the Lord's Supper. See 
Matt, 28 : 19 ; Matt. 26 : 26 ; 1 Cor. 11 : 23. 

Q. — What are the five Sacraments ? 

A. — " The five Sacraments" of the Catholic 
Church are : confirmation ? penance, orders 7 
matrimony, and extreme unction. 

Q. — Define these Sacraments ? 

A. — Confirmation in the Roman Church is a 
service by which those baptized in infancy pub- 
licly take upon themselves the obligations of 
the baptismal covenant, and voluntarily confirm 
and recognize their church membership. The 
service in itself is proper enough, but not such 
in solemn dignity as to entitle it to be placed in 
the same rank with baptism and the : Lord's 
Supper. The same may be said of "orders" or 
the ordination ceremony of the ministry, and 
of matrimony. Roman Penance is a service by 
which a penitent having sinned and made auric- 
ular confession, the priest grants pardon for 
sins committed after baptism. This so-called 
sacrament is founded upon the assumption that 
the priest has power to forgive sin, which Pro- 
testantism regards as blasphemous. Extreme 
unction is a service consisting in anointing with 
holy oil persons at the point of death by which 
sins are forgiven and grace imparted. 



YOUXG METHODIST. 55 

LESSOX 12. 



Repeat Article XVII.. ...An reference to 

Baptism. 

Baptism is not only a sign of profession, and 
mark of difference, whereby Christians are dis* 
tinguished from others that are not baptized ; 
but it is also a sign of regeneration, or the new 
birth. The baptism of young children is to be 
retained in the Church. 

Give the Proofs. — Arise and be baptized, and wash 
away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. 
Acts 22 : 16. Except a man be born of water and of 
the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God, 
John 3 : 5. He that believeth and is baptized shall 
be saved, Mark 16 : 15. 

Q. — What does this Article define Bap- 
tism to be ? 

1. A sign of profession. It is a profession of 
faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. When 
a person makes a profession of faith, baptism 
is a sign of that profession, and a pledge of loy- 
alty to God and the Church. It is a profession 
of faith in all the fundamental doctrines of sal- 
vation as taught by Christ. "See, here is water ; 
what doth hinder me to be baptized ? Philip 
said, If thou believest with all thy heart thou 



56 THE SHIELD OF THE 

mayest ; and he answered and said, I believe 

that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and he 

baptized him." Acts 8 : 36. 

2. Baptism is "a mark of difference whereby 
Christians are distinguished from others that are 
not baptized" The Jew was distinguished from 
the Gentile by the significant mark or sign of 
circumcision. In the Christian Church, Bap- 
tism in the name of the Trinity, takes the place 
of circumcision. By circumcision the Jew en- 
tered into the Jewish Church ; by baptism we 
enter into the Christian Church. 

3. "It is also a sign of regeneration" The 
cleansing water is a fit sign of the cleansing 
power of the Holy Ghost. 



Repeat Article XVIII... in reference to 

The Lord's Supper. 
The Supper of the Lord is not only a sign of 
the love that Christians ought to have among 
themselves one to another, but rather is a sac- 
rament of our redemption of Christ's death ; 
insomuch that, to such as rightly, worthily, and 
with faith receive the same, the bread which 
we break is a partaking of the body of Christ ; 
and likewise the cup of blessing is a partaking 
of the blood of Christ. 



YOUNG METHODIST. 57 

Transubstantiation,or the change of the sub- 
stance of bread and wine in the Supper of our 
Lord, cannot be proved by Holy Writ, but is 
repugnant to the plain words of Scripture, 
overthroweth the nature of a sacrament, and 
hath given occasion to many superstitions. 

The body of Christ is given, taken, and eaten 
in the Supper, only after a heavenly and spirit- 
ual manner. And the means whereby the body 
of Christ is received and eaten in the Supper, 
is faith. 

The sacrament of the Lord's Supper was not 
by Christ's ordinance reserved, carried about, 
lifted up, or worshiped. 

Give the Proofs. — And He took bread, and gave 
thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, 
This is my body which is given for you : this do in 
remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after 
supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my 
blood, which is shed for you. Luke 22 : 19, 20. 

Q. — By what names are the Lord's Sup- 
per called ? 

A. — It is called "the Lord's Supper," because 

it was first instituted in the evening, and at the 

close of the Passover Supper. It is called a 

"Sacrament," which means an oath of renewed 

allegiance to Christ. It is called the "Eucha- 
rist," which means the giving of thanks. "He 



58 THE SHIELD OF THE 

took bread and ^ave thanks." A "commu- 
nion" to express christian fellowship. 
Q. — What is its import? 

A. — The import of the Supper is a commemo- 
ration. "This do in remembrance of me." It 
took the place of the Passover, which commem- 
orated the deliverance of Israelites from Egyp- 
tian bondage. The suffering of Christ delivers 
the world from Satanic bondage. A father 
once kept a cancelled bond for his family to 
look upon, and see how he had paid a heavy 
debt, through much self-sacrifice, to make them 
happy. So Christ has cancelled the claim of 
justice against us, "nailing it to His Cross." In 
the Lord's Supper, his tamily look upon this, 
bond. 

Q. — What have you to say about trail - 
substantiation ? 

A. — Trail substantiation is a Romanish absurd- 
ity. Being in bodily person in heaven, and at 
the right hand of the throne of the Father, 
Christ cannot at the same time be visibly and 
bodily in the hands of the priests, nor on hun- 
dreds of altars at once. The expression, "This 
is my body," is a Hebraism , for "This represents 
iriy body." It is clearly a figure. As "I am 



YOUNG METHODIST. £9 

the vine," "I am the door/' "I am the way," 
"The seven o;ood kine are seven years.' 5 Be- 
sides, if the bread and wine be actually changed 
into the real flesh and blood of Christ, how 
could these material things nourish and feed 
the soul, which is a spiritual substance ? "It is 
the Spirit that quickeneth ; the flesh profiteth 
nothing;" in feeding the soul. While the Luth- 
erans renounce the doctrine of a ^(^substantia- 
tion, they affirm a eowsubstantiation, which is 
akin to the real presence of the Catholics. But 
in the light of common sense both the trans 
an$ the con are alike contrary to truth. The 
true doctrine is, a Sacrament is a holy ordinance 
instituted by Christ; wherein, by sensible signs, 
Christ and the benefits of the New Covenant 
are represented, sealed and applied to believers. 
The sacrament is to be taken after a heavenly 
and spiritual manner. Its benefit depends upon 
the faith of the communicant. The astrono- 
mer does not worship the telescope, but looks 
through it out and beyond to the stars in the 
heavens. So the bread and wine are as a tele- 
scope, through which the eye of faith looks to 
Christ dying on the Cross for the sins of the 
world. " This do in remembrance of Me." 



60 THE SHIELD OF THE 

LESSOR 13. 



Repeat Article XIX, in reference to 

Both Kinds. 

The cup of the Lord is not to be denied to 
the lay people, for both the parts of the Lord's 
Supper, by Christ's ordinance and command- 
ment, ought to be administered to all Christians 
alike. 

Give the Proofs. — Jesus took the cup, and gave 
thanks, and gave it to them (the disciples) saying, 
Drink ye all of it. Matt. 26 : 27. For as oft as ye (be- 
lievers in common) eat this bread, and drink thfocup, 

ye do show the Lord's death till he come But 

let a man (the believer) examine himself, and so let 
him eat of the bread, and drink of that cup. 1. Cor. 
11: 26. 

Q. — Were both bread and wine admin- 
istered by Christ originally to the disci- 
ples ? 

A. — Yes. Both the bread and wine were 
originally administered by our Lord to the apos- 
tles, and both elements were ordered to be 
given to the lay people until the coming of 
Christ. The command is, Drink, all of you. 
Surely Paul was not addressing the clergy when 
he wrote his epistle to the Corinthian church, 
in which he said, "Let a man examine himself, 



YOUNG METHODIST. 81 

and so let him eat of that bread and drink of 
that cup." 

Q % — Out of what error does this one 
grow ? 

A.- — This Romish error grows out of the 
greater one of transubstantiation. The Papists 
teach that after the bread and wine are changed 
into the flesh and blood of Christ, He is whole 
and entire in either bread or wine, and so what* 
ever part the communicant may receive, he re* 
ceives the whole Christ. Therefore, that church 
has decreed to give "the laity only in one kind." 
And whoever does not believe with that church, 
it says, "Let him be accursed.' 9 



Repeat Article XX in reference to 

The one Obliation of Christy Finished upon the 
Cross. 

The offering of Christ, once made, is that 
perfect redemption, propitiation, and satisfac- 
tion, for all the sins of the whole world, both 
original and actual : and there is none other 
satisfaction for sin but that alone. Wherefore 
the sacrifice of masses, in which it is com- 
monly said that the priest doth offer Christ for 
the quick and the dead, to have remission of 



62 THE SHIELD OF THE 

pain or guilt, is a blasphemous fable, and dan- 
gerous deceit. 

Give the Proofs, — So Christ was once offered to 
bear the sins of marjy. Heb. 9: 23. Knowing that 

Christ being raised from the dead, dieth no more 

For in thai He died, He died unto sin once. Rom. 6 : 
0. Neither is there salvation in any othex r for there 
is none other name under heaven given among men, 
whereby we must be saved. Acts 4 : 12. There re- 
maifieth no more sacrifice for sins. Heb. 10 : 26. After 
He had offered one sacrifice for sins, He forever sat 
down on the right hand of God ; for by one offering 
He hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. 
Heb. 10: 11. 

Q. — What error is condemned by this 
Article f 

A. — This Article condemns as a blasphemous 
fable the dogma of the Catholic church, which 
affirms that Christ is offered afresh for sin every 
time the mass is celebrated ; and teaches the 
Protestant doctrine, that Christ made but one 
offering of himself for sin, and that this offering 
is perfect, complete in every respect, and for- 
ever final. Therefore, "the Romanish Sacrifice 
of the Mass has no sanction, but is utterly con- 
demned in the Epistle to the Hebrews." 



YOU^G METHODIST. 63 

LESSOR 14, 



Repeat Article XXL.^.Jrt reference fe 

Marriage of Ministers. 

The ministers of Christ are not commanded 
by God's law either to vow the estate of single 
life, or to abstain from marriage : therefore it 
is lawful for them, as for all other Christians, 
to marry at their own discretion, as they shall 
judge the same to serve best to godliness* 

Give the Proofs.— The apostle Peter was a mar* 
ried man. 'When Jesus was come into Peter's 
house. He saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a 
fever* Matt. 8 : 14. Philip the Evangelist "had four 
daughters, virgins, which did prophesy," Acts 21 : 9. 
Paul says, "A Bishop must be blameless, the husband 
of one wife" 1 Tim. 3 : 2. "Let the Deacons be the 
husband of one wife," 1 Tim. 3:3. "Have we not 

p o we r to lead about a ivife as well as other apos* 

ties?" 1 Cor. 9:5. 

Q. — Does the Romanish Church forbid 
her ministers to marry ? 

A. — Yes. That church has commanded her 
ministers not to marry, which command they 
strictly obey. And forbidding to marry is a 
sign of an apostate church. 1 Tim. 4 : 1-3. But 
the Roman church not only forbids marriage to 
her clergy, but has exalted the marriage eff the 



ei THE SHIELD OF THE 

laity to the unscriptural dignity of a sacrament, 
What hold absurdities and 2;ross errors. 



Repeal, „«Akticle XXII in reference to 

The Rites and Ceremonies of Churches. 

It is not necessary that rites and ceremonies; 
should in all places be the same, or exactly 
alike, for they hare been always different, and 
may be changed according to the diversity of 
countries, times, and men's manners, so that 
nothing be ordained against God's word. Who- 
soever, through his private judgment, willingly 
and purposely doth openly break the rites and 
ceremonies of the Church to which he belongs, 
which are not repugnant to the word of God, 
and are ordained and approved by common au- 
thority, ought to be rebuked openly, that others 
may fear to do the like, as one that offendeth 
against the common order of the Church, and 
Woundeth the consciences of weak brethren. 

Everj 7 particular Church may ordain, change, 
or abolish rites and ceremonies, so that all 
things mav be done to edification. 

Give the Proofs,— As free, and not using liberty 
for a cloak of maliciousness, but as servants of God. 
1 Peter 2 : 16. Let every man be fully persuaded in 
his own mind. Rom. 14 : 26. Let all things be done 



YOUNG METHODIST. 65 

unto edification. 1 Cor. 14 : 26. The kingdom of God 
is not meat and drink. Rom. 14 : 17. 

Q. — What does this Article teach ? 

A. — 1. The doctrines and institutions of the 
Christian religion are positive and unchangeable, 
while her rites and ceremonies are circumstan- 
tial. Baptism may be administered by pouring 
or immersion ; the elements of the Lord's Sup- 
per may be received sitting or kneeling ; pray- 
ers may be offered in public, kneeling or stand- 
ing ; we may stand or sit in singing, &c. 

2. This Article opposes the Catholics, who 
maintain that the authority of the Church is 
Supreme, and whatever rite she may ordain — 
though it becomes obsolete and useless — is of 
supreme and endless obligation. It teaches 
that whenever a ceremony becomes a hinder- 
ance to the real progress of the Church, it is to 
be laid aside. When new ones are needed, 
they are to be used. The law of expediency is 
to reign as to these matters. 

3. This Article also teaches that when rites 
and ceremonies are "ordained and approved" 
by the proper authorities of the church, they 
are not to be tampered with by private individ- 
uals. No person is allowed "through his pri- 



66 THE SHIELD OF THE 

vate judgment" to set them aside. This secures 
uniformity of church ceremonies. 



-:o: 



LESSON 15. 



Repeat Article XXIII in reference to 

The Riders of the United States of America. 

The President, the Congress, the General 
Assemblies, the Governors, and the Councils of 
State, as the delegates of the people, are the rulers 
of the United States of America, according to 
the division of power made to them by the 
Constitution of the United States, and by the 
Constitutions of their respective States. And 
the said States are a sovereign and independent 
nation, and ought not to be subject to any for- 
eign jurisdiction.* 

Give the Proofs. — Let every soul be subject unto 
the higher powers. For there is no power but of God ; 
the powers that be are ordained of God. For rulers 
are not a terror to good works but to the evil. For 
he is the minister of God to thee for good. Rom. 13 : 
1-4. 

Q. — What does the Methodist Church 
teach in respect to obeying civil author- 
ity? 



YOUNG METHODIST. 67 

A. — *As far as it respects civil affairs, we be- 
lieve it the duty of Christians, and especially 
all Christian ministers, to be subject to the 
supreme authority of the country where they 
may reside, and to use all laudable means to 
enjoin obedience to the powers that be; and 
therefore it is expected that all our preachers 
and people, who may be under any foreign gov- 
ernment, will behave themselves as peaceable 
and orderly subjects. — Note of the Discipline. 



Repeat Article XXIV.... An reference to 

Christian Men's Goods. 
The riches and goods of Christians are not 
common, as touching the right, title, and pos- 
session of the same, as some do falsely boast. 
Notwithstanding, every man ought of such 
things as he possesseth, liberally to give alms 
to the poor, according to his ability. 

Give the Proofs.— Thou shalt not steal. Ex. 20 : 15. 
(Stealing implies ownership of property.) Give to 
him that asketh of thee, and from him that would 
borrow of thee, turn not thou away. Matt. 5 : 42. 
(Giving and lending necessarily imply the personal 
ownership of property.) But whoso hath this world's 
goods and seeth his brother hath need, and shutteth 
up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth 
the love of God in him. 1 John 3 : 17. 



08 THE SHIELD OF THE 

Q. — Why was this Article drawn up ? 

A. — 1, This Article was drawn up to coun- 
teract the teaching of the Anabaptists, who soon 
after the Lutheran Reformation preached "that 
all things ought to be common among the faith- 
ful. 

2. The instance of community of goods men- 
tioned in Acts 2 : 24, was not such as modern 
communists advocate. That of the early chris- 
tians was voluntary ', local and temporary. There 
was no forcible division of property. Peter 
said to Ananias, "While it remained, was it 
not thine own f and after it was sold, was it not 
in thine own power ?" — all of which shows that 
the common fund for benevolent purposes, was 
made up by voluntary contributions. Besides, 
this instance was not general but confined to 
the church at Jerusalem. 



Repeat ......Article XXV in reference to 

Christian Man's Oath. 
As we confess that vain and rash swearing is 
forbidden Christian men by our Lord Jesus 
Christ and James his apostle ; so we judge that 
the Christian religion doth not prohibit, but 
that a man may swear when the magistrate re- 
quireth, in a cause of faith and charity, so it be 



YOUNG METHODIST. 69 

done according to the prophet's teaching, in 
justice, judgment, and truth. 

Give the Proofs. — And thou shalt swear, the Lord 
liveth, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness. 
Jer. 4 : 2. Men verily swear by the greater ; and an 
oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. 
Heb. 4 : 16. And Jonathan caused David to swear 
again. 1 Sam. 20 : 17. I call God for a record upon 
my soul. 2 Cor. 1 : 23. 

Note. 

Judicial oaths are believed to be lawful by 
all Christians, except the Anabaptists, who 
flourished about the time this Article was orig- 
inally drawn up, and the Quakers and some 
minor sects. "Though it be said we shall not 
swear, yet I do not remember it is any where 
read that we should not receive or take an oath 
from another." — St. Augustine. 



:0:« 



CHAPTER III, 



THE GENERAL RULES OF THE METHO- 
DIST CHURCH. 



The General Rules of "The United Socie- 
ties," organized by Mr. Wesley in 1739, are as 
follows : 



70 THE SHIELD OF THE 

There is only one condition previously re- 
quired of those who desire admission into these 
Bocieties — a "desire to flee from the wrath to 
come, and to be saved from their sins." But 
wherever this is really fixed in the soul, it will 
be shown by its fruits. It is therefore expected 
of all who continue therein, that they should 
continue to evidence their desire of salvation 
(by observing the following Rules) : 



Repeat the Jiules. 

1< First, by doing no harm, by avoiding evil 
of every kind, especially that w r hich is most 
generally practiced : such as 

2. The taking of the name of God in vain ; 

3. The profaning the day of the Lord, either 
by doing ordinary work therein, or by buying 
or selling; 

4. Drunkenness, or drinking spirituous 
liquors unless in cases of necessity ; 

5. Fighting, quarreling, brawling, brother 
going to law with brother; returning evil for 
evil, or railing for railing ; the using many words 
in buying or selling ; 

6. The buying or selling goods that have not 
paid the duty ; 



YOUNG METHODIST. 71 

■ 7. The giving or taking things on usury — /. e., 
unlawful interest; 

8. Uncharitable or unprofitable conversation, 
particularly speaking evil of magistrates or of 
ministers; 

9. Doing to others as we would not they 
should do unto us ; 

10. Doing what we know is not for the glory 
of God; as, 

The putting on of gold and costly apparel ; 

11. The taking such diversions as cannot be 
used in the name of the Lord Jesus ; 

12. The singing those songs, or reading thorn 
books, which do not tend to the knowledge or 
love of God ; 

13. Softness and needless self-indulgence; 

14. Laying up treasures upon earth ; 

15. Borrowing without a probability of pay- 
ing ; or taking up goods without a probability 
of paying for them. 

It is expected of all who continue in these So- 
cieties that they should continue to evidence their 
desire of salvation : — 

16. Secondly, by doing good;, by being in 
every kind merciful after their power ; as they 
have opportunity, doing good of every possible 
sort, and, as far as possible, to all men; 



72 THE SHIELD OF THE 

17. To their bodies of the ability which God 
giveth, by giving food to the hungry, by cloth- 
ing the naked, by visiting or helping them that 
are sick o* in prison ; 

18. To their souls, by instructing, reproving, 
or exhorting all we have any intercourse with; 
trampling under foot that enthusiastic doctrine, 
that "we are not to do good unless oar hearts 
be free to it ;" 

19. By doing good, especially to them that 
are of the household of faith, or groaning so to 
be, employing them preferably to others, buy- 
ing one of another, helping each other in busi- 
ness ; and so much the more because the world 
will love its own and them only ; 

20. By all possible diligence and frugality, that 
the Gospel be not blamed. 

21. By running with patience the race which 
is set before them, denying themselves, and taking 
up their cross daily ; submitting to bear the re- 
proach of Christ, to be as the filth and ofFscoiir- 
ing of the world ; and looking that men should 
say all manner of evil of them falsely for the 
Lord's sake. 

It is expected of all who desire to continue 
in these Societies, that they should continue to 
evidence their desire of salvation. 



YOUNG METHODIST. 73 

Thirdly, by attending upon all the ordinances 
of God ; such as : 

22. The public worship of God ; 

23. The ministry of the Word, either read 
or expounded; 

24. The Supper of the Lord ; 

25. Family and private prayer ; 

26. Searching the Scriptures ; 

27. Fasting or abstinence. 



o:- 



CHAPTER IV. 



LESSON 16, 



THE GENERAL RULES WITH SCRIPTURE 
Q UOTATIONS AND NOTES. 



There is only one condition previously re- 
quired of those who desire admission into these 
societies, a "desire to flee from the wrath to 
come, and to be saved from their sins." But 
wherever this is really fixed in the soul, it will 
be shown by its fruits. It is therefore expected 

of all who continue therein, that they should 
10 



74 THE SHIELD OF THE 

continue to evidence their desire of salvation, 
by observing the following rules. 

Q. — What does the first rule require ? 

A. — Rule 1. Doing no harm, avoiding evil 
of every kind, especially that which is most 
generally practiced. 

Give the Proofs. — Abstain from all appearance of 
evil. 1 Thes. 5 : 22. Be ye wise as serpents, and harm- 
less as doves. Matt. 10: 16. Abhor that which is 
evil ; cleave to that which is good. Rom. 12 : 9. 

Notes. 

There is nothing so deceitful as sin. There 
is a tree in the tropics called the Judas tree. Its 
beautiful blossoms attract the bees — they suck 
them and die instantly. This fatal tree is like 
the tree of sin, which attracts to poison and 
kill. Be like the little animal called the ermine, 
that chooses rather to die than defile its white 
and beautiful skin. A tyrant once ordered one 
of his subjects to make a strong chain. "When 
the chain was finished the tyrant took it and 
bound the maker of it hand and foot, and cast 
him into prison. Sin is that tyrant, that binds 
the sinner and casts him into outer darkness. 

Q. — What does the second rule forbid ? 

A. — Rule 2. Taking of the name of God in 
vain. 



YOUNG METHODIST. 75 

Give the Proofs.— Thou shalt not take the name of 
the Lord thy God in vain ; for the Lord will not hold 
him guiltless that taketh His name in vain. Exod. 
20: 7. 

Note. 

Swearing is a low, degrading, sinful practice. 
The swearer is like a foolish fish caught on a 
naked hook. "What does Satan pay you for 
swearing ?" "Nothing," said the swearer. 
"Well, you work cheap — to lay aside the char- 
acter of a gentleman, to inflict much pain upon 
your friends, suffer the remorse of conscience, 
and lastly to risk your own immortal soul, and 
all for nothing." The w T ild Indian, trampling 
beautiful paintings and sparkling jewels in 
mud, is no more degraded than the swearer, 
who pulls down the Holy, Sacred, reverent 
name of the Great God and defiles it with 
shocking oaths. 

Q. — What does the third rule forbid ? 

A. — Rule 3. The profaning the day of the 
Lord, either doing ordinary work therein, or 
by buying or selling. 

Give the Proofs. — Remember the Sabbath day to 
keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor and do all 
thy work : but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the 
Lord ; in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor 
thy son, nor thy daughters, thy man-servant, nor thy 



76 THE SHIELD OF THE 

maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is 

within thy gate wherefore the Lord blessed the 

Sabbath-day, and hallowed it. Exod. 23: 8-11. 

Note. 

"It is a blessed thing to have the Sunday de- 
voted to God. There is nothing in which I 
would recommend you to be more strictly con- 
scientious than in keeping the Sabbath holy. 
By this I mean not only abstaining from all 
unbecoming sports and common business, but 
from consuming time in frivolous conversation, 
paying or receiving visits, which, among rela- 
tions, often leads to a sad waste of this precious 
day. I can truly declare that to me the Sab- 
bath has been invaluable." — Wilberforce. 

Q. — What does the fourth rule forbid ? 
A. — Rule 4. Drunkenness, or drinking spir- 
ituous liquors, unless in cases of necessity. 

Give the Proofs. — Be not among winebibbers. For 
the drunkard and glutton shall come to poverty. 
Prov. 33 : 23. Wine is a mocker, strong drink is ra- 
ging : whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise. 

Look not thou upon the wine when it is red at the 

last it biteth like a serpent and stingeth like an adder. 
Prov. 33 : 31. Woe to him that giveth his neighbor 
drink, that putteth thy bottle to him, and maketh 
him drunk. Hab. 2 : 5. 



YOUNG METHODIST. 77 

Notes. 

The new law of the Discipline requires 
"members to abstain from the manufacture or 
sale of intoxicating liquors as a beverage." As 
the whole system of the liquor business is 
closely connected, the law makes the man who 
makes and sells it guilty. 

The still-houses make the poison. The grog 
shops distribute it broadly over the land. The 
first is the originating fountain, the latter is the 
channel circulating the liquid poison. The pro- 
duction and circulation of liquor is closely con- 
nected. The distillers are busy in loading the 
Satanic battery, the retail and wholesale deal- 
ers are busy in firing it off. The consequence 
is, the battle field of life runs red with the 
blood of the slain. Every still and grog shop 
is a battery of death. Think of the appalling 
number of them ! There are in the United 
States 8,402 distilleries and breweries. This is 
according to official report. And 200,000 grog 
shops and liquor saloons. And these batteries 
under the generalship of Satan loaded and 
fired, day and night the year round, pouring 
bursting booms, grape shot, and all other mis- 
sels of death into the ranks of our people ! ! 
What wide-spread destruction wrought ! 



78 THE SHIELD OF THE 

The Presbyterian Review gives the following: 
statistics for the United States : 
Paid to all ministers of the Gos- 
pel ; $6,000,000 

Support of Criminals 12,000,000 

Fees of litigation.... 35,000,000 

Importation of liquor. 50,000,000 

Support of grog-shops 1,500,000,000 

Whole coBt~af liquor..... 12,200,000,000 

:o: — : 

LESSON It. 



Q._What does the fifth rule forbid ? 

A. — Rule 5- Fighting, quarreling, brawling, 
brother going to law with brother ; returning 
evil for evil ; or railing for railing ; the using 
many words in buying or selling. 

Give the Proofs. — From whence come wars and 
fightings among you? Come they not hence, even 
of your lusts that war in your members ? James 4:1. 
The works of the flesh are manifest, which are these, 
hatred, varience, emulations, strife, seditions, here- 
sies. Gal. 5 : 19. Dare any of you, having a matter 
against another, go to the law before the unjust and 
not before the saints. 1 Cor. 6 : 1-6. Not rendering 
evil for evil, or railing for railing, but contrariwise 
blessing. 1 Peter 3: 9. Let your conversation be 



YOUNG METHODIST. 79 

without covetousness. Heb. 13 : 5. Let your yea be 
yea ; and your nay, nay, lest ye fall into condemna- 
tion. James 5 : 12. 

Note. 

There are quarrelsome dispositions, touchy tem- 
pers, irritable tempers, violent tempers, sullen 
tempers — all of which am totally contrary to 
the loving spirit of religion. As a lump of 
sugar sweetens a cup of tea, so does the gentle 
and heavenly spirit of Christ sweeten the dis* 
position of man. As the summer's sun changes 
green and acid fruit into a state of ripeness and 
sweetness, so the grace coming from the a Sun 
of righteousness" produces "the fruit of the 
spirit, which is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, 
gentleness, goodness, temperance, meekness." 

Q. — What does the sixth rule forbid ? 

A. — Rule 6. The buying or selling goods 
that have not paid the duty. 

Give the Proofs. — Provide things honest in the 
sight of all men. Rom. 12 : 17. Defraud not one the 
other. Render unto Csesar the things which are 
Caesar's. Matt. 22 : 17. Render therefore to all their 
dues. Rom. 13 : 7. 

Note. 

To smuggle goods into a country in violation 
of the revenue laws of the government, is the 
sin forbidden by this rule. To buy or sell 



83 THE SHIELD OF THE 

goods known to be contraband, is considered 
lawless robbery. It condemns that prevalent 
vice known by the name of "blockading." 

Q. — What does the seventh rule forbid? 

A. — Rule 7. The giving or taking things on 

usury — that is, unlawful interest. 

Give the Proofs. — Lord, who shall dwell in thy 
holy hill ? He that putteth not his money to usury, 
nor taketh reward against the innocent. Psa. 15 : 1-5. 
That no man go beyond and defraud his brother. 1 
Thess. 4:6. 

Note. 
The Hebrew word for usury means exorbi- 
tant interest. It means greediness, sharpness, 
rapacity, which takes advantage of the oppress- 
ed. The practice forbidden is receiving more 
for the loan of money than it is really worth, 
and more than the law allows. 



•:<):■ 



LESSON 18. 



Q. — What does the eighth rule forbid ? 

A. — Rule 8. Uncharitable or unprofitable 
conversation ; particularly speaking evil of mag- 
istrates or of ministers. 

Give the Proofs. — Let all clamor and evil speak- 
ing be put away from you, with all malice. Eph. 4 : 



YOUNG METHODIST. 81 

31. Every idle word that men speak, they shall give 
account thereof in the day of judgment. Matt. 12 : 36. 
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your 
mouth. Eph. 4 : 29. Put them in mind to be subject 

td principalities and powers, to obey magistrates. 

to speak evil of no man. Tit. 3 : 1-2. 

Notes. 

The practice of tale-bearing is disgraceful 
and sinful. To be known as a tattler, a gossip, 
a busy-body in everybody's business, is to bear 
a mean and low character. A back-biter re- 
minds one of a sneaking dog, that makes the 
attack when your face is turned the other way. 
It is said of Domitian, that he "employed his 
leisure hours in catching and tormenting flies." 
What a contemptible business for a Roman 
Emperor to be engaged in ! But how much 
better is the employment of a professor of re- 
ligion, who is engaged in catching up and 
circulating damaging rumors about his neigh- 
bors ? And especially are you forbidden to 
speak evil against ministers and official charac- 
ters. An evil report is often a spark of fire 
kindling into a destructive conflagration ! — a 
swollen river bursting over its embankments 
and spreading a flood of evils over the country. 

Q. — What does the ninth rule forbid? 
li 



82 THE SHIELD OF THE 

A. — Rule 9. Doing to others as we would 
not they should do unto us. 

Give the Proofs. — Therefore all things whatsoever 
ye would that men should do to you, do ye so to 
them : for this is the law and prophets. Matt. 7 : 12. 

Note. 

Whatsoever is disagreeable to thyself, do not 
to thy neighbor. Treat your neighbor as you 
would have him treat you. Regard him as 
your second self. As you would have him to 
be kind, polite, just, accommodating to you, be 
so to him. This is the golden rule of the Gos- 
pel. 

Q. — What does the tenth rule forbid ? 

A. — Rule 10. Doing what we know is not 
for the glory of God ; as the putting on of gold 
and costly apparel. 

Give the Proofs. — Whose adorning, let it not be 
that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of 
wearing of gold or of putting on of apparel. 1 Peter 

3:3. I will that women adorn themselves in 

modest apparel not with broidered hair, or gold, 

or pearls, or costly array. 1 Tim. 2 : 8. 

Note. 
The prohibition relates to needless extrava- 
gance in dress, and useless and showy orna- 
ments. The taste for the beautiful must be 
carefully limited by economical and religious 



YOUNG METHODIST. 83 

considerations. Nothing so adorns a woman as 
a beautiful character, fruitful of good works. 
Q. — What does the eleventh rule forbid? 

A. — Rule 11. Taking such diversions as can 
not be used in the name of the Lord. 

Give the Proofs. — Wherefore come out from among 
them and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch 
not the unclean thing, and I will receive you and will 
be a Father unto you and ye shall be my sons and 
daughters. 2 Cor. 6:17. Be ye not conformed to this 
world. Rom. 12 : 2. Know ye not that the friendship 
of the world is enmity with God. James 4 : 4. 

Notes. 

1. "Diversions" include those popular amuse- 
ments, such as dancing, theatres, circuses, &c, 
which divert or turn the heart away from God to 
be facinated by icorldly things. 

2. Our Bishops explain the above rule as for- 
bidding indulgence in the modern dance, and 
attending circuses and theatres. 

3. Our Church stands squarely opposed to 
the modern dance. The Presbyterian and Bap- 
tist Churches have made deliverances severely 
condemning dancing. Even the Roman Cath- 
olic Church "warns her people against the fash- 
ionable dances, which are fraught with the 

greatest dangers to morals." 

The Police, of New York City, says that 



84 THE SHIELD OF THE 

u three-fourths of the corrupt girls iri that city 
have been ruined by loose dancing." It is well 
known that as dancing increases in any com- 
munity, piety declines and dies out. There is 
no greater enemy to revivals of pure religion 
than the spirit and practice of dancing. Danc- 
ing completely destroys also the christian influ- 
ence of those who indulge ha it. What good 
can a member of the Church do, who is a lover 
of worldly dances ? Worldly men say, "See 
how these christians dance. Why they seem 
to love sinful amusements as much as we poor 
sinners do ; pretty christians they are, indeed." 
Put dancing in the scales of reason and religion, 
and weigh it in the balance of the Bible, and it 
will, in every case, be found wanting. 



o: 



LESSOR 19. 



Q. — What does the twelfth rule forbid? 

A. — Eule 12. The singing those songs or 
reading those books which do not tend to the 
knowledge or love of God. 

Give the Proofs. — Be not deceived ; evil commu- 
nications corrupt good manners. 1 Cor. 15 : 33. Speak- 
in * to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual 



YOUNG METHODIST. 85 

songs, singing and making melody in your heart to 
the Lord. Ephes. o: 19. I count all things but loss 
for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus 
my Lord. Phil. 3 : 8. 

Note. 

The evils of corrupt literature are very great 
in this age. It is said, that fifty per cent, of 
the criminals of the United States were made 
by reading bad books, bad newspapers, and 
blood and murder stories in cheap novels. Such 
reading as glorify cunning tricks, falsehood, the 
dirk and pistol, corrupt the young and lead 
them in the paths of sin. Such singing as taint 
the heart and generate worldiness must be 
avoided. 

Q. — What does the thirteenth rule for- 
bid? 

A.-— Rule 13. Softness and needless self- 
indulgence. 

Give the Pkoofs. — Then said Jesus unto his disci- 
ples. If any man will come after me, let him deny 
himself, and take up his cross and follow me. Matt. 
16 : f$. 

Note. 

A life of self-indulgence is as worthless as 
that of a butterfly, that sails about on the air 
and does nothing but suck flowers. The luxu- 
ry of Capua destroyed the brave army of Han- 



W THE SHIELD OF THE 

nibal. As pills that are outwardly fair and 
sugar-coated, but have within bitterness, even 
so are luxurious pleasures. When Garrick 
showed Dr. Johnson his home, so full of luxury, 
carnal pleasures and self-indulgence, the Doctor 
said : "Ah, David, David ! these are the things 
which make a death-bed terrible." 

Q. — What does the fourteenth rule for- 
bid? 

A. — Rule 14. Laying up treasures upon earth. 
Give the Proofs. — Lay not up for yourselves treas- 
ures upon earth where moth and rust doth corrupt, 
and where thieves break through and steal : But lay 
up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither 
moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not 
break through nor steal. For where your treasure is 
there will be your heart also. Matt. 6 : 19-21 . 

Note. 
The rule strikes at the sin of covetousness, 
which is a dangerous and deadly one. The 
love of money is the root of all evil. The King 
of Midas prayed that everything he touched 
might turn to gold. It was granted. It proved 
a fatal gift. The bread and water he touched 
turned to gold. And though he had plenty of 
gold, still he was in a state of misery and star- 
vation. Money used as a means of accomplish- 
ing good is very valuable, but when it becomes 



YOUNG METHODIST. $7 

a golden calf to be worshiped, then it is a fatal 
possession. Not all accumulation is to be con* 
demned. Joseph accumulated, but not for 
himself, but for the good of others. Money 
accumulated, and used for noble purposes, is 
commendable. 

Q. — What does the fifteenth rule for- 
bid? 

A. — Rule 15. Borrowing without a proba- 
bility of paying ; or taking up goods without 
a probability of paying for them. 

Give the Proofs.— The wicked borroweth, and 
payeth not again. Psa. 37 : 21. Render unto all their 
dues. Rom. 13 : 7. Owe no man anything. Provide 
things honest in the sight of all men. Rom. 12: 17. 

Note, 

The rule condemns the incurring of pecuni- 
ary obligation, when there is no reasonable 
ground for supposing that it can be paid. To 
do so is considered a fraud. To purchase goods 
without a probability of paying for them, is con- 
demned by our Church as a sin. We cannot 
be too careful as to borrowed property. Bor- 
rowed articles should be returned uninjured. 
We have no right to keep borrowed articles an 
undue length of time, nor allow them to be in- 
jured while in our possession, nor use them for 



SS THE SHIELD OF THE 

any other purpose than the lender expected, 
nor return an inferior article for the one bor- 
rowed. 



•:0: 



LESSON" 20, 



GOOD OFFICES AND WORKS TO BE DONE. 



Q,— Besides avoiding the evils mention- 
ed, what else is expected of our members ? 

A. — It is expected of all who continue in 
these Societies that they should continue to ev- 
idence their desire of salvation. 

Rule 16. By doing good, (1); by being in 
every kind merciful after their power, as they 
have opportunity, (2); doing good of every pos- 
sible sort, and, as far as possible, to all men, (3). 

Give the Proofs.— (1) Trust in the Lord, and do 
good. psa. 37: 3. To do good and to communicate 
forget not. Heb. 3 : 16. (2) Blessed are the merciful : 
for they shall obtain mercy. Matt. 5 : 7. (3) To him 
that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it 
is sin* James 4 : 17. As we have opportunity, let us 
do good unto all men. Gal. 6 : 10. 

Note. 

"The best argument," says Christlieb, "for 
the truth of Christianity is a true Christian. " 



YOUNG METHODIST. 89 

Undoubtedly ; and who is the truest Christian ? 
lie who is most like his Master; and since the 
most distinctive trait in his Master's character 
and career was disinterested, self-sacrificing, in- 
finite love for others, it follows that he is most 
Christ-like who most loves and labors for the 
salvation of his brethren. The first question 
of the regenerated soul is : "Lord, what wilt 
Thou have me to do ?" The eves of the new- 
born believer are anointed to see the moral 
havoc wrought by sin and the desolating wretch- 
edness certain to follow ; and, seeing, he is con- 
strained to do something to arrest the sinner. 
The heart that does not beat with tenderest 
sympathy and yearning anxiety over the woes 
of the wicked is either utterly blind or dead in 
its spiritual sensibilities. Society has many 
wants, many evils to cure and many forms of 
good to be advanced. Society is like a build- 
ing ; it needs w r orkers on the foundations and 
the walls and the finishing and the decorations. 
Society is like the human body ; it has need of 
hands and feet and face and eyes and brain and 
heart. 

Q. — What does the seventeenth rule 

enjoin ? 
12 



90 THE SHIELD OF THE 

A. — Rule 17. Doing good, to their bodies, of 
tlie ability which God giveth, by giving food to 
the hungry, by clothing the naked, by visiting 
them that are sick or in prison. 

Give the Proofs. — Then shall the King say unto 
them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my 
Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from 
the foundation of the world : For I was an hungered, 
and ye gave me meat : I was thirsty, and ye gave me 
drink : I was a stranger, and ye took me in : Naked, 
and ye clothed me : I was sick, and ye visited me : I 

was in prison, and ye came unto me Inasmuch 

as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my 
brethren, ye have done it unto me. Matt. 25 : 34-40. 

Note. 

Christians are to be ready and willing to help 
the poor, the needy ; to visit the sick, to clothe 
the naked and feed the hungry. Who is there, 
then, that cannot work for Christ? "With the 
world full of the ignorant to be instructed, and 
of poor to be fed, and of inebriates to be re- 
formed, and of the young to be guarded, and 
of the aged to be cheered, and ot sinners to be 
regenerated and purified, assuredly every heir 
of a heavenly kingdom can find something to 
do. 

"When the plague was raging in Marseilles, 
and they were dying by scores and hundreds 
from it, the College of Surgeons decided that 



YOUNG METHODIST. 91 

there must be a post-mortem examination m 
order that they might know how to meet and 
arrest that awful disease. And there was silence 
in the College of Surgeons till Dr. Guion rose 
and said : "I know it is certain death to dissect 
one of those bodies ; but somebody must do it, 
and I shall. In the name of God and human- 
ity I will do the work." He went home, made 
out his will, then went to the dissection, accom- 
plished it, and in twelve hours died. That was 
self-sacrifice that the world understands. O, 
the more wonderful sacrifice of the Son of God. 
He walked to Emmaus. He walked from Ca- 
pernaum to Bethany. He walked from Jeru- 
salem to Calvary. How tar have you and I 
walked for Christ ? His head ached, His heart 
ached, His back ached for us. How much have 
we ached for Him ? Let us this morning look 
over all the years of our life, and see the paltry 
list of our self-sacrifices. Not one deed in my 
life or in your life worthy the name." 



92 THE SHIELD OF THE 

LESSOR 21. 



Q. — What does the eighteenth rule en- 
join? 

A. — Rule 18. Doing good to the souls of 
men, by instructing, improving, or exhorting all 
we have any intercourse with; trampling under 
foot that enthusiastic doctrine, that "we are not 
to do good unless oar hearts be free to it." 

Give the Proofs. — Reprove, rebuke, exhort, with 
all long-suffering and doctrine. 2 Tim. 4: 2. Exhort 
one another daily. Heb. 3 : 13. Them that sin rebuke 
before all, that others also may fear. 1 Tim. 5 : 20. Ye 
are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. 
Matt. 5 : 13-10. 

]S r 0TE. 

We must do good continually, though our 
hearts feel indisposed to it. We are to tram- 
ple under foot the doctrine : "We are not to do 
good unless our hearts be free to it." "We 
want the burden to be light if we are to carry 
it, the church pew soft if we are to sit in it, the 
work easy if we are to perform it, the sphere 
brilliant if we are to move in it, the religious 
service short if we are to survive it. On the 
way to heaven, rock us, fan us, sing us to sleep, 
dandle us on the tips of your fingers, hand us 



YOUNG METHODIST. 98 

up. out of this dusty world toward heaven on 
kid gloves and under a silken sunshade ! Let 
the martyrs who waded the flood and breasted 
the fire get out of the way while this colony of 
tender-footed Christians come up to get their 
crown ! for more of that spirit which starts 
a man heavenward, determined to get there 
himself and to take evervbodv else with him.'' 

Q. — How does the nineteenth rule re- 
quire us to live ? 

A. — Eule 19. By doing good, especially to 
them that are of the household of faith (1) or 
groaning so to be, employing them preferably 
to others, buying one of another, helping each 
other in business ; (2) and so much the more 
because the world will love its own, and them 
only (3). 

Give the Proofs. — (1) As we have opportunity, let 
us do good unto all men, especially unto them who 
are of the household of faith. Gal. 6 : 10. (2) Be kindly 
affection ed one to another with brotherly love : in 
honor preferring one another. Distributing to the 
necessity of saints, given to hospitality. Rom. 12: 10, 
13. (3) If ye were of the world, the world would love 
his own. Joth. 15 : 19. 

Note. 

Methodism leads directly to a strong fratern- 
ization. Love is its life, and the mutual free- 



94 THE SHIELD OF THE 

dom and equality in Christ Jesus which char- 
acterizes all its social meetings and religious 
forms, tend to centralize the sympathy and feel- 
ings of the whole community. And it is from 
this in part that the power of Methodism as ai 
system arises. Unity is power ; life is power. 
They sing truly : 

"Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one, — 
Our comforts and our cares. 

We share our mutual woes ; 
Our mutual burdens bear ; 
And often for each other flows 
The sympathizing tear." 

Q. — How does the twentieth rule re- 
quire us to live ? 

A. — Rule 20. By all possible diligence and 
ffUf/alitt/, that the Gospel be not blamed. 

Give the Proofs. — Not slothful in business, fervent 
in spirit, serving the Lord. Horn. 12: 11. If a man 
provide not for his own, and especially for those of 
his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse 
than an infidel. 1 Tim. 5 : 8. 

KoTE. 

Diligence is the mother of good luck, and 
God gives all things to industry. Then plow, 
deep while sluggards sleep, and you will have 
corn to sell and to keep. Work while it is call- 
ed to-dav, for you know not how much vou 



YOUNG METHODIST. 95 

may be hindered to-morrow. One to-day is 
worth two to-morrows, as poor Richard says. 
And further : never leave that till to-morrow 
which you can do to-day. — Franklin. 

Q. — How does the twenty-first rule re- 
quire us to live ? 

A. — Rule 21. By running with patience the 
race which is set before them, (1) denying them* 
selves and taking up their cross daily, (2) sub- 
mitting to bear the reproach of Christ, to be as 
the filth and ofFscouring of the world, (3) and 
looking that men should say all manner of evil 
of them falsely for the Lord's sake (4). 

Give the Proofs.— (1) Seeing we also are compassed 
about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay 
aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily 
beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is 
set before us. Heb. 12 : 1. (2) If any man will come 
after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, 
and follow me. Matt. 16 : 24. (3) We are made as the 
filth of the earth, and as the ofFscouring of all things 
unto this day. 1 Cor. 4 : 13. (4) Blessed are ye, when 
men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall 
say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my 
sake. Matt. 5: 11. 

Note. 

"Patience is the guardian of faith, the preserv- 
er of peace, the cherisher of love, the teacher of 
humility. Patience governs the flesh, strength- 



C6 THE SHIELD OF THE 

ens the spirit, sweetens the temper, bridles the 
tongue, tramples upon temptations, endures* 
persecutions." Patience is but lying to, and 
riding out the gale. 



LESSON 22, 



ORDINANCES TO BE OBSERVED. 



Q, — Besides doing the good mentioned^ 
what else is expected of Methodists ? 

A. — It is expected of all who desire to con- 
tinue in these Societies, that they should con- 
tinue to evidence their desire of salvation : 

Rule 22. By attending upon all the ordinances 
of God, such as The Public Worship of God. 

Give the Proofs.— One thing have I desired of the 
Lord, that will I seek after ; that I may dwell in the 
house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold 
the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple. 
Psa. 27 : 4. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves 
together, as the manner of some is. Heb. 10 : 25. 

Rule 23. The ministry ot the Word, either 

read or expounded. 

Give the Proofs. — Christ instituted the ministry 
and said: "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations: 
teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I 



YOUNG METHODIST. 97 

have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, 
even unto the end of the world. Matt. 28 : 18-20. So 
then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the 
Word of God. Rom. 10 : 14. But whoso looketh into 
the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he 
being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the Word, 
this man shall be blessed in his deed. James 1 : 25. 

J^OTES, 

The Church requires you to attend public 
worship, and habitual neglect of this means of 
grace becomes a church offense, to be punished 
by admonition or expulsion. The requirement 
is reasonable. Even heathens are worshipers 
of false gods. David exclaimed: "O, come! 
let us worship and bow down ; let us kneel 
before the Lord our Maker." The Saviour was 
a regular attendant on public worship. Of 
Him it is said : "As His custom was, He went 
into the Synagogue on the Sabbath." 

I know of no place so rich, none so pure, 
none so hallowed in the influences, and constant 
in their supply, as those resulting from the true 
and spiritual worship of God. Pleasant as the 
cool water-brooks are to a thirsty heart, so 
pleasant w T ill it be to us to approach unto the 
living God. — R. Watson. 

Q. — What does the twenty-fourth rule 
require us to do ? 

13 



98 THE SHIELD OF THE 

A.— Eule24. (To celebrate) The Supper of 
the Lord. 

Give the Proofs, — And He took bread, and gave 
thanks, and brake it and gave unto them saying, 
This is my body which is given for you : this do in 
remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after 
Supper ; this cup is the New Testament in my blood, 
which is shed for you. Luke 22 : 19-20. 

Notes. 

1. The Lord's Supper is a visible Sacrament, 
instituted by our Saviour in the place of the 
Jewish Passover. The design of it is to be com- 
memorative of the Lord's suffering and death. 
The elements used are bread and wine, repre- 
senting the broken body and shed blood of the 
Lord Jesus. All persons have the right to par- 
take of the communion who have repented of 
their sins, have saving faith in Christ, and pur- 
pose to live a christian life. 

2. The obligations resting upon such persons 
to commune is very clear. (1) It is the com- 
mand of Christ. The command, u l 1 his do in 
remembrance of me*' is charged with divine au- 
thority. It is the same authority, that binds 
all the commands of the Bible on the con- 
sciences of men. (2) It is beneficial to the com- 

municant. God blesses in the use of the means 
of Grace. He enlightens the world through 



YOUXG METHODIST. C9 

the Sun, waters our fields by the clouds. So 
through the communion He pours light into 
the mind and refreshing grace into the heart. 
To remember the dying love of our blessed 
Lord, as He hung on the Cross, is melting and 
purifying. 



•:o: 



LESSOR 23, 



Q. — What does the twenty-fifth rule en- 
join? 

A. — Rule 25. Family and private prayer. 

Give the Proofs. — As for me and my house, we 
will serve the Lord. Josh. 24 : 15. Pour out thy fury 
upon the heathen that know not thee, and upon the 
families that call not on thy name. Jer. 10 : 25. When 
thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou 
hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in 
secret ; and thy Father, who seest in secret, shall re- 
ward thee openly. Matt. 6:6. 

Note. 

1. Importance of Family Prayer. 

Philip Henry would say, sometimes, "If the 
worship of God be not in the house, write, 
Lord have mercy upon its, upon the door, for 
there is a plague, a curse in it." Archbishop 



100 THE SHIELD OF THE 

Tillotson said : "That constant family worship 
is so necessary to keep alive a sense of God and 
religion in the minds of men, that he sees not 
how any family that neglects it can, in reason, 
be esteemed a family of Christians, or indeed 
to have any religion at all." 

John Howard never neglected the duty of 
family prayer, though there were but one, and 
that one a servant, to join him ; always declar- 
ing that, where he had a tent God should have 
an altar. The presence of no one was allowed 
to interfere with it ; and every call of business 
must wait outside the locked door till it was 
ended. 

An old waiter affirms, that a dwelling in 
which prayer is not offered up daily to God, is 
like a house icithoiit a roof, m which there can 
not be either peace, safety or comfort. 

Q. — What is enjoined by the twenty- 
sixth rule ? 

A. — Eule 26. Searching the Scriptures. 

Give the Proofs. — I will meditate in thy precepts, 
and have respect unto thy ways. I will delight my- 
self in thy statutes : I will not forget thy word. Psa. 
119 : 15. Search the Scriptures ; for in them ye think 
ye have eternal life ; and they are they which testify 
of me. John 5 : 39. 



YOUNG METHODIST. 101 

Notes. 

1. The reading of the Bible is profitable for 
reproof, for correction, for instruction in right- 
eousness. Its truths are quick, powerful — - 
sharper than any two-edged sword — stirring the 
conscience of men to repentance and reforma- 
tion. The power of the Bible was the ground 
of Josiah's reformation ; the use of the Bible, 
in contrast with the traditions of the Pharisees, 
was one of the striking characteristics of the 
revival inaugurated by Christ and the Apostles ; 
the disinterring and studying of the Bible was 
the secret of the great reformation in the 16th 
century; the close reading and practice of Bible 
truths, in contrast with the ritualistic services 
appointed to be read in the Church of England, 
was the moving power of the Wesleyan revi- 
val. 

2. The truths of the Bible to be searched for. 
The truths of the Bible are like gold hidden in 
the soil, which whole generations of men walk 
over and never find. When men find them, 
they call them new truths. One might as well 
call gold newly dug, new gold. 

3. To be read daily. A French noble read 
three chapters daily; Lady Hobert read the 
Psalms over twelve times a year ; Dr. Gouge 



*C2 THE SHIELD OF THE 

read fifteen chapters daily ; Dr. Cotton read the 
whole Bible through twelve times n year. 

Q.— What does the twenty-seventh rule 

require % 

A.— Rule 27, Fasting or abstinence. 

Give the Proofs. — When ye fast, be ixot as the hyp- 
ocrites, of a sad countenance: but thou, when thou 
fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; that 
thou appear not unto men to fast, but uBto thy Fath- 
er, who is in secret. Matt. 6 : 16-18. 

Notes. 

Christ did not eondcnv^ fasting, but criticised 
and condemned the hypocritical perfunctory? 
arid the ostentatious performance of it as done 
by the Pharisees. When you fast — -which im- 
plies the duty of it— don't appear before ?nen 7 
bowed down as a bulrush, clothed in sackcloth, 
making the heavens dark and the earth sad, 
but wear colors, carry flowers, anoint the head, 
wash the face ; that thou appear not unto men 
to fast, but unto thy Father." Let your fasting 
})Q internal— not external. 

2. The Church requires its members to fast, 
bacause it is a means of grace. "So, then, one 
at' the first things to be considered in fasting, 
as a means of grace, is that it gives a man the 
use of a healthy body and a healthy brain; 



YOinSTG METHODIST, let 

winch is no small tiling. It is of tremendous 
Importance. It is the foundation of all benefit, 
though it is not the whole of benefit. Then, a 
period of fasting, properly instituted, together 
with associated influences, gives rest to the 
wasteful passions by the cultivation of moral 
feeling. Where men diminish their food and 
put themselves in a condition in which they 
meditate upon themes of transcendent impor- 
tance, upon high moral and spiritual themes 
mid relationships, laterally or vertically, toward 
man or toward God, toward the visible or to- 
ward the invisible, so that their better feelings 
have a chance to spring up because the pressure 
of the passions is taken off from them, what an 
advantage it is to them !" 

These are the General Rules of our Societies ; 
all of which we are taught of God to observe, 
even in his written word, which is the only rule, 
and the sufficient rule, both of our faith and 
practice. And all these we know his Spirit 
writes on truly awakened hearts. If there be 
any amons: us who observe them not, who hab* 
itually break any of them, let it be known unto 
them who watch over that soul, as they who 
must give an account. We will admonish him 
of the error of his ways : we will bear with 



1)4 THE SHIELD OF THE 

him for a season ; but if then he repent not, he 
hath no more place among us ; we have deliv- 
ered our own souls. 



;o: 



CHAPTER VI 



LESSON 24. 



PROMINENT DOCTRINES OF METHODISM, 



% Universal Redemption. 

Q, — What does the Methodist Church 
teach as to the extent of the Atonement .? 

A.— -Methodism teaches that the atonement of 
Christ is universal in its extent — that it is broad 
enough to cover all the sins of all the children 
of Adam from the beginning to the end of 
time* It teaches that the sacrifice of Christ de- 
rived infinite value from the Divinity of His 
person, and is therefore intrinsically sufficient 
to expiate the sins ot the ivhole human race, 
and was really so intended. This is Arminian- 
ism. 

Q.— What does Calvinism teach? 



YOUNG METHODIST. 15 

A. — Calcinism teaches that " Christ died ex- 
clusively for the elect, and purchased redemp- 
tion for them alone, and in no sense did He 
die for the rest of the race." "That the atone- 
ment of Christ is specific and limited ; that it is 
neither universal nor indefinite, hut restricted 
to the elect alone." 

Q. — What is the difference between Cal- 
vinism and Arminianfsm? 

A. — According to Calvinism, the salvation or 
the non-salvation of each human being, depends 
absolutely and solely on the eternal, irresistible 
decree of God, made "without any foresight of 
faith or good works in the creature, as condi- 
tions or causes moving Him thereto." Accord- 
ing to this system, God has elected to eternal 
life a certain, definite, unalterable number, and 
passed the rest of mankind by unredeemed to 
perish in their sins. Hence, it teaches a par- 
tial atonement, irresistible grace, and final per- 
severance as flowing out from the decrees. 
Arminianism teaches that "Christ died for all 
men," for "the whole world," and that the sal- 
vation or non-salvation depends, not on arbi- 
trary decree, but upon the willingness or unwill- 
ingness of each man to comply with the Gospel 
conditions of salvation. 
14 



106 THE SHIELD OF THE 

Give the proof that Christ died for all men. 

That Jesus Christ died for all men is clearly and 

expressly taught in the following Scriptures : 

Give the Proofs.— That He, by the grace of God 
should taste death for every man. Heb. 2 : 9. He is 
the propitiation for our sins : and not for ours only but 
also for the sins of the ivhole world. 2 Cor. 5 : 15. The 
grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men hath 
appeared. Titus 2 : 11. God so loved the world, that 
He gave His only Begotten Son, that whosoever be- 
lieveth in Him should not perish but have everlasting 
life. John 3 : 13. That was the true Light, which 
lighteth every man that cometh into the world. John 

1 : 9. God our Saviour will have all men to be 

saved. 1 Tim. 2 : 3. For the love of Christ constrain - 
eth us, because we thus judge, that if one died for all, 
then were all dead. 

Q._What follows if Christ died for all? 

A. — If Christ died for all men, then are all 
placed in a salvable condition. The sins of 
every man are atoned for, a pardon for every 
man is purchased, and every man is welcome 
to the favor of God and everlasting life. It 
follows that a decree of reprobation, absolutely 
predestinating any human being to eternal 
damnation, is impossible. In harmony with 
the doctrine that Christ died for all men, the 
duty to believe in Him as a Saviour is enjoined 
upon all. 



YOUNG METHODIST. 107 

Give the Proofs. — He that believeth shall be saved, 
but he that believeth not shall be damned. Mark 16 : 
16. He that believeth is not condemned, but he that 
believeth not is condemned already, because he hath 
not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of 
God. John 3 : 8. 

Q. — If all can be saved, what are minis- 
ters authorized to do? 

A. — In harmony with the scheme of univer- 
sal redemption, Gospel ministers are authorized 
to preach free salvation to all men. 

Give the Proofs. — Go ye into all the world, and 
preach the Gospel to every creature. Mark 16 : 15. 
And the Spirit and the bride say, come. And let him 
that heareth say, come ; And let him that is athirst 
come ; And whosoever will, let him take the water 
of life freely. Rev. 22 : 17. Come unto me, all ye that 
labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest ; 
and him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast 
out. Matt, 11: 28. 

Q. — On whom is the blame of man's 
condemnation laid? 

A. — Men are constantly charged with the 
hlame of their own ruin. "For I have no 
pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith 
the Lord God, wherefore turn ye, and live." 
Ezek. 18 : 32. We might quote every chapter 
in the prophets to show that the Israelites were 
blamed as the cause of their own ruin. But it 



1C8 THE SHIELD OF THE 

is needless to enlarge. The whole Bible testi- 
ties that men are truly the authors of their own 
destruction. God often complains that he has 
striven to save men, but they would not let 

him. "0, Jerusalem, Jerusalem how 

often I would have gathered thee, as a hen 
doth her brood under her wings, but ye would 
nit." Matt. 23 : 37. He "wilf have all men to 
bo saved, and to come unto the knowledge of 
the truth." 1 Tim. 11 : 4. 

Note. 
The argument' from reason is as definite and 
conclusive. Does not every man's own con- 
science tell him that he is the author of his own 
sins, and consequently of the punishment flow- 
ing from them ? Does not conscience accuse 
us, holding; that we alone are to blame for them ? 
Thus the testimony of conscience sustains the 
Arminian doctrine. Yet Calvinism teaches 
that God "for the sake of His own glory" cre- 
ated man to be lost — created pain and stamped 
it with immortality — that "God did create a 
race, large portions of whom, not being elected, 
would go on to eternal punishment, suffering 
forever and ever hopelessly — all 'for his own 

glory.'" Can there be any glory in creating 
and dooming millions of the human race toper- 






YOUNG METHODIST. 109 

dition just for the sake of seeing them sutler ? 
Is there "glory" in a government over this uni- 
verse in which there is suffering without any 
ether end than suffering? Can there be any 
better definition of Satanic malignity given 
than that it is & voluntary creation of suffering 
merely for the sake of suffering? Finally, the 
salvation of every human being is possible, or 
it is not possible. If it is possible, then the 
possibility is based on the universality of the 
■atonement, for none can be saved outside of the 
atonement. If the salvation of every man is 
not possible, then men are damned for not per- 
forming an impossibility, which is too mon- 
strous for any sane man to believe. But as 
Methodists, we glory in the full, free, and uni- 
versal redemption of Christ. 



:o:- 



LESSOR 25. 



II £EPENTANC£> 



Q. — What does our Church teach on 
the doctrine of Repentance? 

A. — That personal repentance towards God 



110 THE SHIELD OF THE 

and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ are 
always united in the Bible. Repentance im- 
plies a certain kind of pre-existing faith, and 
iaith implies a pre-existing repentance. Both 
are produced by the preliminary grace of the 
Holy Spirit, but not perfected without the co- 
operation of man. Repentance is a means, and 
faith a condition of salvation. The broken and 
contrite hearty a godly sorrow ot soul, a keen 
sense of sin, prepare the soul to accept Christ 
as the only Saviour. Such a state of mind 
leads to a free and candid confession of sin. And 
this leads to reformation. This reformation 
implies two things, viz ; a turning from sin, and 
a serious effort at obedience. The Bible commands 
the penitent : " Cease to do evil, and learn to do 
well." Repentance is pre-eminently a personal 
obligation. It is a duty laid upon all men. 

Give the Proofs.— God now eommandeth all men 
everywhere to repent. Acts 17 : 30. Repent, for the 
kingdom of God is at hand. Matt. 3 : 1,2. Repent 
and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, for the 
remission of sins ; and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost. 
Acts 2 : 38. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the 

unrighteous man his thoughts ; and let him return 
unto the Lord, and He will have mercy vipon him ; 
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. Isa. 
55 : 7. Repent, and turn from all your transgressions ; 
so iniquity shall not be your ruin. Ezek. 18: 21. Ex- 
cept ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. 



YOUXG METHODIST. Ill 

Q. — What must true repentance be? 

A. — True repentance must be thorough, forsa- 
king all sin. If a ship have three leaks, the stop- 
ping of two of them is not sufficient. The 
third one left unstopped will sink it. All must 
be closed up. Or if a man have two dangerous 
wounds, the curing of one is not enough. Both 
must he cured. A tree fallen upon the bosom 
of a river, sways up and down on the stream, 
but does not float off down stream, because it 
is anchored by a hidden root reaching into the 
bank. So one secret sin not given up will keep 
the soul from floating on the stream of grace 
into the kingdom of life. 

Q. — To what does Gospel Repentance 
lead? 

A. — Gospel repentance leads to an open and 
Full confession of sin. "If we confess our sins, 
He is faithful and just to forgive us." The 
benefit of confession is illustrated in the follow- 
ing story : A German prince visited the Ar* 
senal at London, where the galleys were kept. 
The commandant, as a compliment to his rank, 
offered to set at liberty any slave whom he 
selected. The prince went the round of the 



U2 THE SHIELD OF THE 

prison, and conversed with the prisoners. lie? 
Inquired into the reason of their confinement., 
and met only with universal complaints of in- 
justice, oppression, and false accusation. At 
last, he came to one man who admitted his im- 
prisonment to be just. "My Lord," said he, "I 
have no reason to complain. I have been a 
wicked, desperate wretch; and it is a mercy 
that I am here." The prince selected him, say- 
ing, "This is the man whom I wish released/ 7 
The application is easy. 

— :o;- 

LESSON 27, 



Ill JUSTIFICATION. 



m 



Q,— What does our Church teach about 
Justification? 

A*— That "Justification is the Divine judicial 
act which applies to the sinner, believing in 
Christ, the benefit ot the atonement, delivering 
him from the condemnation of his sin, intro- 
ducing him into a state of favor, and treating 
him as a righteous person." "To be justified 
is to be pardoned, and received into God's 
favor ; into such a state, that if we continue 



Y0U3TG METHODIST. 113 

therein, we shall he finally saved/' — Methodist 
Minutes. 

Justification, pardon, forgiveness of sins, are 
substantially the same in Methodist theology. 

This pardon extends to all sins in the past, 

little or great. "All manner of sin" is forgiven ; 
so "there is no condemnation to them who are 
in Christ Jesus." The originating cause is the 
love of God; the meritorious cause is the atone- 
ment of Christ ; the instrumental cause is the 
personal faith of the believer. 

Give the Proofs. — God so loved the world that He 
gave His only Begotten Son that whosoever believeth 
in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 
John 3: 16. Christ is the end of the law for righte- 
ousness (or justification) to every one that believeth. 
Rom. 10 : 4. Being justified by faith, we have peace 
with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Rom. 5:1. 
By Him (Christ) all that believe are justified from all 
things, from which they could not be justified by the 
law of Moses. Acts 13 : 39. He that worketh not but 
believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his 
faith is counted to him for righteousness (or justifica- 
tion). Rom. 4: 5. Therefore we conclude, that a man 
is justified without the deeds of the law. Rom. 3: 28. 

Q. — How is pardon obtained ? 
A. — It is by the exercise of faith which em- 
braces Christ, rests upon Him as a house upon 

a rock foundation, enters into His righteousness 
15 



114 THE SHIELD OF THE 

for safety as Noah entered the Ark for protec- 
tion from the flood. It acknowledges the utter 
impossibility of being saved by personal obedi- 
ence to the law. To become righteous in that 
way is forever out ot the question. It confesses 
past sins, present weakness, and the impossi- 
bility of canceling past transgressions by future 
obedience. Justifvino* faith is then the trust of 
the soul in Christ as the only hope of salvation. 
It is the forsaking of the sinking ship of self- 
righteousness and taking refuse in the Ark of 
Christ's atonement. 

Q. — How is saving faith proved ? 

A. — The genuineness of this saving faith is 
proved by evangelical works of righteousness 
without which the state of justification cannot 
be retained. The works of faith declare, man- 
ifest, the life and reality of saving faith. The 
tree of justifying faith is known by the fruits 
of good works. The substance of faith will 
project the shadow of good works. Hence 
there is a justification by faith without the merit 
of works, and a justification by faith on the evi- 
dence of ivorks, but in both cases justification is 
based on the grace of the atonement. 



YOUNG METHODIST. 115 

LESSOR 27. 



IV REGENERATION 



Q. — What does our Church teach in 
reference to Regeneration? 

A. — That Regeneration is the new birth ; 
that work of the Holy Spirit by which we ex- 
perience a change of heart. It is expressed in 
the Scripture by being born again; by being 
quickened ; by our partaking of the divine nature. 
The efficient cause of regeneration is the divine 
Spirit. — R. Watson. 

Give the Proofs.— Except a man be born again, he 
cannot see the kingdom of God. John 3 : 3. That ye 
put on the new man, which after God is created in 
righteousness and true holiness. Eph. 4 : 24. If any 
man be in Christ, he is a new creature. 2 Cor. 5:17. 

Q. — What is the difference between Jus- 
tification and Regeneration ? 

A. — Justification is the removal of guilt, 
while Regeneration is the removal of the pollu- 
tion of sin. Justification is an act taking place 
in the court of heaven, while regeneration is a 
work performed by the Holy Spirit in and upon 
the soul of the believer. Justification, therefore, 
is objective, while regeneration is always subject- 
ive. Regeneration is the birth of a new-born 



116 THE SHIELD OF THE 

babe. The infant born into the world is the 
man in miniature. All the parts of the body, 
and all the faculties of the mind, are there in 
embryo. So the regenerated person is a saint 
in embryo. The new principles are there, the 
new affections are there, the saint is there but 
in infancy. The young twig two feet high is 
an oak, yet there is a vast distance between its 
diminutive size and the full grown oak, cover- 
ing with its wide-spreading branches an acre of 
ground. "The kingdom of God is like a grain 
of mustard seed, which when it is sown in the 
earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the 
earth. But when it is sown, it groweth up, and 
becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth 
out great branches." 

Q. — Is Regeneration merely an outward 
reformation ? 

A. — Regeneration is more than outward reform- 
ation. — "Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, 
and cleanse me from my sin." Mark the thor- 
oughness of this desire. Not only must sin be 
blotted out, but the sinner himself must be 
washed and cleansed. There must be not 

merely a change of state, but a change of na- 
ture. Not only must the debt be forgiven, but 
all disposition to contract further debt must be 



YOUXG METHODIST. 117 

eradicated. Outward reformation is cutting the 
bird's wings, but leaving it with the propensity 
to fly. It is pulling out the lion's teeth, but 
not changing the lion's nature. A vicious 
horse is none the better tempered because the 
kicking straps prevent his dashing the carriage 
to pieces. Regenerating grace, like a lump of 
sugar in a cup of tea, sweetens the heart of 
man. It makes the tree good to get good fruit. 
It purifies the fountain of the heart, and then 
the practical stream of life will be pure. 

Q. — Is the new-birth a necessity in or- 
der to be qualified to enjoy heaven? 

A. — It is. None can go to heaven unless 
they are made holy. "Except a man be born 
of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into 
the kingdom of God." Parity is a necessary 
qualification to enjoy heaven. If a sinner were 
lilted to heaven, he would be blind to its beau- 
ties, deaf to its son^s, and dead to its jovs. 
While malice remains in the devil's nature, 
were he admitted into heaven, it would be a 
place of torment. So xi wicked man would 
meet hell in the midst of heaven, so long as he 
carries within him sin, for sin kindles the fires 
of hell in the soul. "The kingdom of God is 
righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." 



11* THE SHIELD OF THE 

LESSON 28. 



V. WITNESS OF THE SPIRIT. 



Q. — What is meant by the witness of 
the Spirit ? 

A. — "By the witness of the Spirit I mean an 
inward impression on the soul, whereby the 
Spirit of God immediately and directly wit- 
nesses to my Spirit that I am a child of God ; 
that Jestis Christ hath loved me and given him- 
self for me ; that all my sins are blotted out, and 
I, even I, am reconciled to God." — John Wes- 
ley. 

Give the Proofs.— -The Spirit itself beareth witness 
with our Spirit that we are the children of God. Rom, 
8 : 16. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the 
witness in himself. 1 John 5 : 10. Because ye are 
Sons, God hath sent the Spirit of His Son into your 
hearts, crying, Abba Father. Gal. 4 : 6. The love of 
God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost. 
Rom. 5 : 5. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, 
long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, 
temperance. Gal. 5 : 22, 23. 

Q. — 'Can a man know that he is a Chris- 
tian? 

A. — Methodistic teaching answers, Yes. Mr. 
Wesley says: "The sonl intimately and evi- 



YOUNG METHODIST. 119 

defttly perceives when it loves, delights, and 

rejoices in God, as when it loves and delights 
in anything. I love, and delight in God ; there- 
tore, I am a child of God." The Bible fur- 
nishes certain marks of being a christian. 
First, there is the love of God "shed abroad in 
our hearts by the Holy Ghost" The believer 
feels, knows, is conscious that he loves God ; 
"therefore," he says, "I am a child of God." 
Mr, Wesley says when he was converted, he 
"felt his heart strangely warmed" We are jnst 
as conscious of the warming influence of love 
as we are of a fire in a room, or of the genial 
beams of the sun breaking through the cloud 
on a cold day, and shining upon us. Love is 
likened to fire, and fire is something that can 
be sensibly felt. Secondly, fraternal love is a 
mark of a christian. The believer feels that 
he loves all who love the Lord Jesus Christ 
in sincerity ; therefore, he concludes, "I am a 
child of God." "We know that we have passed 
from death unto life, because we love the breth- 
ren." Brotherly love is adduced as a proof of 
having passed from death to life. Again, "He 
that loveth his brother abideth in the light." 

Note. 
"Now, there are some things that we know. 



no THE SHIELD OF THE 

When a man is enraged he knows it; and other 
people generally know it, too* When a man 1 
is full of spirit he usually knows it. When a 
man has the inspiration of ambition, and he is- 
a fiery and energetic man, he knows that. A 
man knows whether he is in distress ; he knows> 
whether he is eager; he knows whether he is 
forceful or mild. A man knows whether it is 
his pleasure to do good, or whether he does it 
graciously , These things are within the sphere 
of positive knowledge. A man knows whether 
he loves or not; for if he does not know that 
he loves f he does not love, and he may be sure 
of it. There are some things that are like fire ; 
and what would you say of one who should put 
his hand in the fire, and take it out slowly, and 
look at it deliberately, and say, "On the whole, 
I think it burns V\ Men know what is evil. 
They know what is g'ood. All the recognized 
lliings within the sphere of knowledge they 
know with positiveness — with all the positive- 
ness that is required ; nor does it necessarily 
infer conceit. 

Take notice, then, in regard to this witness, 
that light is thrown upon the method of it. 
We do not have this witness borne in upon us 
in conseqence of any actions of our own, stand- 



YOUNG METHODIST. 121 

ing upon which we reason to it ourselves. It 
is not the result of retrospect. It is not from 
any estimate that Ave form of our moral worth. 
The soul's spontaneous affinity for God being 
disclosed in us becomes itself the evidence. We 
find ourselves possessed of a certain enthusi- 
asm. We are lifted up, fired with an unusual 
experience ; not a super-human experience, and 
yet an experience transcending all ordinary ex- 
perience ; and the nature of it is that of love. 
It is an experience which, acting in love, draws 
us by elective affinities to the great source and 
fountain of love, as well as of wisdom and 
power — God; and this condition of the soul 
which produces filial love is the sign of God's 
influence upon us. It is the witness of the 
Spirit." 



■:0:- 



LESSOX 29. 



VI HOLINESS OB SANCTIFICATION. 



Q. — What is Holiness or Sanctiflcation? 

A. — Sanctiflcation is that work of God's 

grace by which we are renewed after the image 

of God, set apart for his service, and enabled 

to die unto sin and live unto righteousness. It 
16 



122 THE SHIELD OF THE 

comprehends all the graces of knowledge, faith, 

repentance, love, humility, zeal, and patience, 

and the exercise of them toward God and man. 

— B. Watson. 

Give the Proofs. — The very God of peace sanctify 
you wholly. And I pray God your whole spirit and 
soul and body be preserved blameless. 1 Thess. 5 : 23, 
24. This is the will of God, even your sanctiflcation. 
1 Thess. 4:3. As He who hath called you is holy, so 
be ye holy in all manner of conversation. 1 Peter 1 : 
15. Who gave Himself for us that He might redeem 
us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a pecu- 
liar people, zealous of good works. Tit. 2 : 14. We are 
sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus 
Christ. Heb. 10: 10. Herein is our love made perfect. 
1 John 4 : 17. 

Q. — What is the nature of Holiness ? 

A. — It is the conformity of the heart and life 
to the law of God. The casting out of those 
inbred sins, the purification of the moral nature, 
and the restoration of the image of God, so 
that the soul is all glorious within, having the 
fruit of the Spirit — a love, joy, peace, long-suf- 
fering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, 
temperance." It implies the consecration of 
the whole body, the whole heart, the whole 
spirit, the whole mind, property, influence, 
family — all to the service of God. 

Sanctiflcation brings the intellect of the chris- 



YOUNG METHODIST. 123 

tian into captivity to Christ, so that he thinks 
for Him ; puts the love of God in his heart, so 
that he is unselfish and beneficent ; the life of 
righteousness into his conscience, so that the 
law of right is his rule ; the life of obedience 
into his will, so that it is his meat and drink to 
do the will of the Father. 

Q. — When can the grace be attained ? 

A. — The Catholic Church teaches that sanc- 
tification with some is attained after death 
through the fires of Purgatory. The Calvin- 
ists, that it can be attained only in the article of 
death. The Methodists maintain that it may be 
attained soon after conversion and enjoyed 
during life. All agree then that holiness — per- 
fect love — sanctification — is absolutely neces- 
sary as a qualification for heaven. The differ- 
ence is simply in the time of its attainment. 
The Arminian view is unquestionably correct 
and Scriptural. Our doctrine hereby elevates 
the plane of christian experience immeasurably 
higher than the other view. The Catholic doc- 
trine that men are sanctified in Purgatory is 
simply absurd. To send a soul to hell to purify 
it, how ridiculous ! Why is not the devil puri- 
fied ? He has been in hell long enough to be 



124 THE SHIELD OF THE 

very pure, if that be the place of purification. 
The Calvinistic theory has no Scriptural foun- 
dation. There is no virtue in the mere act of 
dying to sanctify the soul. 

Q. — Why should we strive to be perfect 
Christians ? 

A. — (1) Because, God anils it. "For this is 
the will of God even your sanetification." God 
wills our sanetification just as truly and sin- 
cerely as He wills the salvation of sinners or 
any other desirable thing. There can be no 
higher law than the will of God. (2) Because, 
God commands it. "Be ye therefore perfect, 
even as your Father w r ho is in heaven is per- 
fect." "Be perfect" — not in knowledge or 
pow T er as God, but in love and holiness. Be 
jierfeet — not in degree as God, but in quality, in 
kind. (3) Because this great blessing is promised. 
"Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, 
and ye shall be clean : from all your filthiness, 
and from all your idols, I will cleanse you." 
Ezek. 36 : 25. "If we confess our sins, He is 
faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and 
cleanse as from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1 : 
9. "The very God of peace sanctify you wholly." 
Does not this passage mean entire sanetifica- 
tion ? Do we have to wait till death for this ? 



YOUNG METHODIST. 125 

CHAPTER VII. 
LESSOR 30, 



VII APOSTACY. 



Q. — What is the view of our Church on 
the doctrine of falling from grace? 

A. — That it is possible for a person who has 
been truly regenerated to fall away from such 
a gracious state and be finally lost. This doe- 
trine is clearly taught in the Old Testament 
Scriptures. 

Give the Proofs.— -But when the righteous turn eth 
away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, 
and doeth according to all the abominations that the 
wicked man doeth, shall he live? All the righteous 
ness that he hath done shall not be mentioned : in his 
trespass that he hath trespassed and in his sin that he 
hath sinned, in them shall he die When a right- 
eous man turneth away from his righteousness, and 
committeth iniquity, and dieth in them ; for the ini- 
quity that he hath done, shall he die. Ezek. 33 : 12-2). 

Q. — What does the above passage teach? 

A. — 1. That the persons referred to in this 
passage, were truly righteous men. Mr. Ed- 
wards concedes that a righteous man in Scrip- 
ture phrase denotes a "godly man." 2. The 
drift of the whole passage shows that these 
righteous persons may totally turn away and 



126 THE SHIELD OF THE 

perish in their sins. 3. Man's life on earth is 
a period of trial. He has all the endowments' 
necessary to make him a free and responsible 
agent. In this character, there is no time on 
earth when he is: not subject to change of moral 
character. As a sinner, he may repent,, reform y 
and become a good man all along the path of 
his probation. There is no point along this 
probationary road up to the hour of death 
where he may not repent and believe ; or, being 
goody may relapse into sin and perish. 

Q. — Where else is this doctrine taught? 

A- — The possibility of total and final apostaey 
is expressly declared in the New Testament, 

Give the Proofs. — For it is impossible for those 
who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the 
heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy 
Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and 
the powers of the world to come ; If they shall fall 
away, to renew them again unto repentance : seeing 
they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and 
put him to an open shame. Heb. 6 : 4, 8. 

Q. — What does the above Scripture 
teach ? 

A. — That these persons were Christians of 
deep experience. 1. They were "enlightened" 
2. "Tasted of the heavenly gift" This may mean 
the experience of a gracious pardon. 3. "Made 



YOUNG METHODIST. 127 

partakers of the Holy Ghost" This includes 
the work of regeneration, the witness of the 
Holy Spirit, and his indwelling influence. 4, 
<4 Tasted of the good Word of God" This means 
the christian's relish and comfort in reading the 
Scriptures, 5. "Tasted of the powers of the 
World to come" By this we understand the de- 
lightful anticipation of heaven. Here are all 
the marks and fruits of experienced christians. 
But these persons may fall away and finally 
perish. The whole drift of the passage teaches 
this. The Greek scholars agree that the term 
"if" is not in the original passage. Mr. Wes- 
ley proves that it is not there, and says it should 
read : u It is impossible to renew again unto re- 
pentance those who have been once enlightened 
and have turned away and renounced the 
Saviour — the only refuge for sinners." The 
fall contemplated is total and final. And the 
possibility of such a fall is borne on the very 
face of the passage. 

Q. — Is this doctrine taught anywhere 

else? 

A. — The same doctrine is taught by our Saviour, 

Give the Proof. — I am the true vine and 1113' Father 

is the husbandman. Every branch in me that bear- 

eth not fruit, he taketh it away. I am the vine ; ye 



128 THE SHIELD OF THE 

are the branches. If a man abide not in me, he is 
east forth as a branch, and is withered ; men gather 
i hem and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. ' * 
John 15 : 1-6. 

Q. — What does tbis passage teach ? 

A. — 1. That the persons spoken of were 
branches in the vine, that is in Christ. 2. Some 
of these branches were cut off, because they did 
hot bear fruit. 8. And being severed from the 
vine— the only source of life — they hopelessly 
died, withered, dried up, and were gathered up 
and burned. 



•:o: 



LESSON 31 



Q, — In what other Avay does' this doc- 
trine appear in the Bible ? 

A. — The possibility of final apostaey appears 
from the repeated learnings against such danger, 
and the earnest exhortations to christian faithful- 
ness. 

Give the Proof. — Because of unbelief they were 
broken off', and thou standest by faith. Be not high- 
minded, but fear ; For if God spared not the natural 
branches, take heed, lest He also spare not thee. Rom. 
11 : 20. Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of 
you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the 



YOUXG METHODIST. 129 

living God. But exhort one another daily, while it 
is called to-day ; lest any of you be hardened through 
the deceitful ness of sin. For we are made partakers 
of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence 
steadfast unto the end. Heb. 3 : 12-14. Let us there- 
fore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into 
His rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. 
Heb. 4: 1. 

Q. — What does this passage teach ? 

A. — That all these exhortations to fear, to be 
diligent, to put forth effort, undoubtedly imply 
the 'possibility of failure. It is a palpable absurd- 
ity to exhort men to hold on to that which it is 
impossible for them to lose. A christian can 
or cannot fall from grace. If he cannot fall, 
then the exhortation not to fall is absurd and 
senseless. Suppose a man on some high moun- 
tain is chained to a rock with iron fetters, that 
could not be broken ; and another should stand 
off shouting: "Take heed lest you fall" would 
not the exhortation be ridiculous nonsense ? 
The application is easy. 

Q. — What do certain examples contain- 
ed in the Scriptures teach? 

A. — The possibility of falling from grace. 

Give the Proofs.— Holding faith, and a good con- 
science ; which some having put away concerning 
faith have made shipwreck : Of whom is Hymeneus 
17 



130 THE SHIELD- OF THE 

and Alexander, whom I have delivered unto Satan, 
that they may learn not to blaspheme. 1 Tim. 1:19. 

Q. — What does this passage teach? 

A. — 1. That these persons once had faith and 
a good conscience, else thev could not have wreck- 
ed or cast away what they never had. 2. They 
made shipwreck of this saving faith. 3. What 
is shipwrecked is entirely lost, A wrecked ves- 
sel is totally ruined. Angels fell from their 
original state of celestial holiness. Our first 
parents fell from their original purity. Jndas 
fell from his apostleship by transgressions. King 
Saul was once a good man. "God gave him 
another heart," hut he fatally backslid, and 
"died for his transgressions which he commit- 
ted against the Lord." Solomon was clearly, 
at one time, a saintly man, but he evidently 
apostalized, and died, said Josephus, "inglori- 
ously." 

Note. 

The dogma — once in grace, always in grace 
— is a very fatal error. A man gets a ticket, 
sits down in the cars, folds his hands, and says 
to himself: "Well, I bought my ticket, I am in 
the train, and now I will go to sleep. It is the 
engineer's business to .run the train and watch 



YOUXG METHODIST. 131 

out for danger. It is the business of the Con- 
ductor to land me safely at my journey's end. 
I have nothing to do but to sleep." This is 
about the way men reason who believe in final 
perseverance. And any one can see the dead- 
ening and sleep-producing influence, the doc- 
trine has upon the human heart. But the Bible 
instead of encouraoinor such a state, commands 
us to watch — Work out your own salvation — 
Give all diligence to make your calling and elec- 
tion sure. Hundreds of warnings stand all 
through the Bible like mountains with a Hoomv 
grandeur — stern, portentious, awful, and sub- 
lime, as Mount Sinai when the Lord descended 
upon it in fire, storm-clouds, and thunders, that 
shook the hills of the earth, "that the fear of 
God may be upon us, and that we sin not." 
They sternly rebuke the folly of supposing that 
because God has delivered us from our former 
sins, we need have no anxiety about our final 
salvation. 



132 THE SHIELD OF THE 

LESSON 32. 



OR DEBS IN THE MINISTR Y. 



Q. — How many orders does the Metho- 
dist Church recognize ? 

A. — Methodism recognizes but two Orders 
in the ministry — the Deacon and Presbyter. It 
also recognizes a third office, that of Bishop, 
which is presbyterial in order but episcopal in 
office. Methodism occupies medium ground 
between prelacy on the one hand and parity of 
the ministry on the other. Roman Catholics 
and the Episcopalians believe in three orders — 
that of a bishop, presbyter, and deacon. Pres- 
byterians, Baptists and Congregationalists main- 
tain one order only — that of the presbyter. We 
believe that two orders are recognized in the 
Bible. 

I. — DEACON. 

Q. — What is a Deacon in our Church ? 

The Deaconship is a subordinate grade and 
order of the Ministry. Deacons among Pres- 
byterians and Baptists are simply lay officers, 
but among Methodists they are a subordinate 
order of Ministers. Methodism here is on 



YOUNG METHODIST, 133 

Scriptural ground. Stephen was a Deacon, one 
of the "first seven." He was a powerful 
preacher, "being full of the Holy Ghost." 
When the Jews heard this sermon, which is 
recorded in Acts 7, "they were cut to the 
heart" He was duly ordained by the apostles. 
Philip was another Deacon and a preacher. 
"Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria 
and preached Christ unto them." Acts 8 : 5, 
lie had a great revival at that place. "But 
when they believed Philip, preaching the 
things concerning the kingdom of God and the 
name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both 
men and women." "And there was great joy 
in that city." Philip expounded the Scriptures 
to the "Ethiopian enuch," and administered to 
him the rite of baptism. The point we make 
is that Deacons are ministers, which is clearly 
proved by the above citations of Scripture. A 
Methodist Deacon can perform all the ministe- 
rial functions of an Elder except that of conse- 
crating the elements of the Lord's Supper. 

II. — ELDER. 

Q. — What is the office of an Elder? 

A. — 1. Presbyter or Elder is a higher order 
and office of the ministry. It designates an 
order of men whose duties are to preach, to 



ISi THE SHIELD OF THE 

administer the ordinances, and watch over the 
church. "The Elders which are among you I. 
exhort, who am also an Elder, Feecl the flock 
of God which is among you, taking the over- 
sight thereof-" 1 Peter 5 : 1-2, 

2. Elders have authority of governing the 
churches. "The Elders that rule well should 
he counted worthy of double honor." 1 Tim, 
5:17. The people are exhorted to "obey them 
that have rule over them, and to submit them- 
selves. Heb. 13: 17. 

3. Elders have the "power of ordination. Tim- 
othy was ordained by "the laying on of the 
hands of the Presbytery ," or body of Elders. 1 
Tim. 4 : 14. They were associates of ecclesias- 
tical authority with the apostles. The decrees 
passed at Jerusalem to regulate the churches 
"were ordained of the apostles and Elders" 
See Acts 15 : 2-6, 22, 23 ; Acts 16 : 4 ; 1 Tim. 
6 : 17. As all churches agree that the Elder- 
ship is an ecclesiastical order, it is not necessary 
to dwell longer on this subject. 

III. — BISHOP. 

Q, — What is the office of a Bishop? 

A, — "Bishops are not a distinct order, but 
officers, elected by the body of elders for gene- 
ral superintendency, and for greater conve- 



YOUNG METHODIST. 135 

silence in regard to ordination, and to secure 
amity and greater efficiency in administration, 
and this was unquestioned for hundreds of 
years. Now Methodism conforms to this prim- 
itive arrangement." "Bishops and presbyters, 
or elders, were originally the same, but as Je- 
rome says, one of the elders was chosen as a 
president, and called Bishop by way of distinc- 
tion; and some of the functions pertaining to 
the whole body of the presbyters— as ordina- 
tion, for example — Were committed to him, and 
like the name, confined to him. Thus he be- 
came 'primus inter pares— first among equals. ?? 
•. — -Bishop McTyeire. 

— -:o: ■ — 

CHAPTER VIIL 



LESSON" 83. 



MODE OF BAPTISM, 



Q.— What are the essential elements of 

Baptism? 

A. — The essential elements of Baptism are : 
1. It must be administered in the name of 

the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy 

Ghost. 



1S6 THE SHIELD OF THE 

2. It must be performed by a Gospel minis- 
ter. No others are commissioned to baptize 
but ministers of Christ. 

3. The element to be used must be water 
only. This, only, is mentioned in the Scrip- 
tures. 

4. The person baptized must be a proper 
subject. 

Q.— What then is Christian Baptism? 

A. — We conclude that water applied in the 
name of the Trinity ', by a Gospel minister to a 
proper candidate, is christian baptism. "Go ye, 
therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them 
in the name of the Father, and ot the Son, and 
of the Holy Ghost." Matt. 28: 19. 

Q. — What follows from this definition? 

A. — dt will be seen from the above definition, 
that the mode of baptism is not one of its essen- 
tial elements; that all the essentials of baptism 
will be preserved when administered by the 
mode of pouring, sprinkling, or immersion. 
Therefore, the Methodist Church holds that 
the three modes are equally valid, but that the 
weight of evidence is in favor of pouring and 
sprinkling. Pouring and sprinkling are really 
only one mode, they being alike as to mode — 
the difference being the freer use of water in 



YOUNG METHODIST. 137 

pouring. The terms are borrowed from the 
Bible. " I will pour out My Spirit ; and then will 
I sprinkle clean water upon you" 

Q. — Which mode has the weight of evi- 
dence in its favor — pouring, or immer- 
sion? 

A.— The weight of evidence is in favor of pour- 
ing or sprinkling. Eeal baptism is the regene- 
rating influence of the Holy Spirit in the heart. 
Water baptism is the sign of this grace in the 
heart. That mode which is most like the mode 
of the Spirit's operation is the true one. How 
does the Spirit come upon the soul ? Scripture 
teaches us on this point : "I w T ill pour water 
upon him that is thirsty." Isa. 44 : 3. "Then 
will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye 
shall be clean." Ezek. 36: 25. Thus when 
Peter was addressing the company of Corne- 
lius : "The Holy Ghost fell on all them that 
heard," and "on the Gentiles also was poured 
out the Gift of the Holy Ghost." Acts 10 : 44, 
47. Then Peter baptized those on w 7 hom the 
Holy Spirit was poured out Now, as the Holy 
Spirit w r as poured upon the people, it is almost 
certain that Peter poured water upon them as 

the most fitting mode of baptism. The sign as 
18 



138 THE SHIELD OF THE 

to mode would be like the thing signified, and 
the thing signified was poured out. Again, it 
is said in reference to Christ's baptism : "The 
heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the 
Spirit descending like a dove and lighting upon him .." 
When God shows how He baptizes, the element 
descends upon the subject. But immersion re- 
quires that the subject descend — fall upon— the 
element. The mode of the Holy Ghost baptism 
is pouring — applying the Spirit to the soul ; and 
water baptism as the sign of this, should be 
poured, so as to make the sign correspond with 
the thing signified. But there is no resemblance 
between immersion (applying the candidate to 
the water and covering him up in it) and the 
pouring out the Spirit upon the sold. The Spirit 
is shed upon us as rain upon the earth. 

Q. — What does Dr. Pope say about it? 

A. — He says : "There are many considera- 
tions which lead us to regard affusion or sprink- 
ling as the ordained form of the rite. The 
Catholic design of the Gospel suggests that the 
simplest and most universally practicable ordi- 
Luuaee would be appointed. Again, the most 
important realities of which baptism is only 
the sign, are such as sprinkling or affusion in- 



YOUNG METHODIST. 139 

clicates : the blood of atonement was sprinkled 
on the people and on the mercy-seat ; and the 
gifts of the Holy Ghost are generally illustrated 
by the pouring of water and the anointing." 

Q. — What does Mr. Watson say? 

A. — Richard Watson, in his "Institutes," 
says : "It is satisfactory to discover that all at- 
tempts made to impose upon christians a prac- 
tice (immersion) repulsive to the feeling, dan- 
gerous to the health, and offensive to delicacy, 
is destitute of all Scriptural authority, and of 
really primitive practice." 

Q. — Does our Church allow each person 
wishing to be baptized to choose his own 
mode ? 

A. — Our Church, believing that the "essence 
of the rite" consists in applying water to the 
body in the name of the Trinity, says : "Let 
every adult person, and the parents of every 
child to be baptized, have the choice either of 
immersion, sprinkling, or pouring." Dr. Ray- 
mond says : "No Church, as such, except the 
Baptist, requires 1 any particular form of baptism 
as a sine qua non condition of membership." 
So it will be seen that the Methodists are not 
alone in allowing the choice of modes. 



140 THE SHIELD OF THE 

Q. — Is there any command to be im- 
mersed? 

A. — There is no command to baptize by im- 
mersion. The duty of baptizing with water is 
commanded, but, like the Lord's Supper, the 
mode of its administration is left undecided by 
any positive precept. 

:o: 

LESSON 34. 



EXAMPLES OF BAPTISM. 



The following Bible examples lead us to be- 
lieve that the apostles administered baptism by 
pouring or sprinkling : 

I. — THE BAPTISM OF P^UL. 

Repeat the history of PauVs baptism. 

And Ananias went his way, and entered into the 
house ; and putting his hands on him said, Brother 
Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee 
in the way as thou earnest, hath sent me, that thou 
inightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy 
Ghost. And immediately there fell from his eyes as 
it had been scales : and he received sight forthwith, 
and arose, and was baptized. Acts 9 : 17, 18. 

Q. — What does the history of Paul's 
baptism teach? 



YOUNG METHODIST. 141 

A.— -1. That the rising up and baptizing are 
■closely connected. Dr. Armstrong says j "In 
the original, the language is much more defi- 
nite than it appears in the English version." 
On the expression, "arise and be baptized," 
(literally, standing up be baptized,) and "he 
41 rose and was baptized 55 (literally, standing up 
Le was baptized). Dr. J* II. like remarks cor- 
rectly : "According to the idiom of the Greek 
language, these two words do not make two 
different commands, as the English reader 
would suppose, when he reads — 1st, arise ; 2d, 
be baptized. But the participle (arise, literally, 
standing) simply modifies the signification of 
the verb, or rather is used to complete the action 
of the verb ; and therefore, instead of warrant- 
ing the opinion that Paul rose up, went out, 
and was immersed, it definitely and precisely 
expresses his posture when he received bap- 
tism." 

2. "Three days had he been sunk in feeble- 
ness and fasting, when he "arose and was bap- 
tized," and then "received meat and was 
strengthened. Strange, that where every move- 
ment is detailed with wonderful minuteness, no 
going forth in his weakness to a river could 
have been mentioned. The whole air of it is 



142 THE SHIELD OF THE 

that he just stood up from his prostration i m 
order to he baptized, while upon fas feet." — Dr+ 
Whcdon* 

II.— BAPTISM 01 1 TOE JAILER. 

Give the history of....,,, ..the Jailer's baptism. 

And tfiey spake unto him the Word of tfoe Lord r 
and to all that Were in his house. And he took then* 
the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; 
and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. Acts* 
16 : 32, S3. 

Q.— What does this history teach? 

A. — It teaches : 1, That the jailer and his 1 
family were baptized at the hour of midnight in 
the prison. "And be took them the game hour 
of the night and washed their stripes ; was bap- 
tized, he and cdl his 1 straightway. " 2. The baptism 
took place in the irrison. We have the authority 
of the apostles that they did not go out of the 
prison. Paul refused to leave the prison privily* 
lie demanded that the magistrates themselves 
should take them out as publicly as they had 
put them in. Now, who can believe that Paul 
had gone out to some river at midnight — gone 
primly ) secretly — and immersed the parties, and 
then slipped back into the prison and demanded 
a public and honorable discharge from the 
prison after he had already been out. Can any 
one believe that Paul w^as capable of such de- 



YOUNG METHODIST. 14; 

<eeption as this? The refusal of the apostles to 
go out privily, expressly implied that they had 
not been out the ni^ht before. Their language, 
if thev had already been out, was based on 
concealment and equivocation. The magis- 
trates might have fairly replied, "With what 
face can these men pretend that they will not 
go out without formal and public dismissal, 
when they have already gone out of their own 
accord, and are now in prison only by volun- 
tarily imprisoning themselves." No such hy- 
pocrisy can be charged against them. The 
conclusion is inevitable that they had not been 
out of prison-bounds. 

Q. — Is there any evidence that there 
was a tank, or a pool in the prison, where 
immersion could be performed? 

A. — -There is not the slightest ground for the 
wild supposition that a Roman prison was pro- 
vided with anything like a baptistery. The 
public authority that could thrust the innocent 
apostles, all bloocly with stripes, into the irons 
of a dark dungeon, would not likely provide 
baths for the comfort of their victims. The 
Romans were too cruel to mitigate the suffer- 
ings of their prisoners. Besides, Philippi was 



U4 THE SHIELD OF THE 

located in the very latitude of "Snowy Thrace, Jr 
where such things would not be needed. A 
1>ath ? or tank, in a Roman prison! As well 
expect to find a piano in the wigwam of a flat- 
headed Indian. There was a baptism m the 
prison, bnt most clearly it was not by immer- 
sion. To suppose that the jailer took his wife 
and family out of bed at midnight and went in 
search of a river to find some suitable place to 
have them immersed, is simply absurd. There- 
fore, the jailer and his family were baptized in 
the prison, and hence by sprinkling or pouring, 
as immersion would have been impossible un- 
der the circumstances. 



-:o: 



LESSON 35, 



III.— BAPTISM OF CORNELIUS. 

Jlecile the history ......< of this baptism , 

While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost 
fell oil all them which heard the Word. And they of 
the circumcision which believed were astonished, as 
many as came with Peter, because that on the Gen- 
tiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. 
For they heard them speak with tongues, and mag- 
nify God. Then answered Peter: Can any man for- 
bid water, that these should not be baptized, which 
have received the Holy Ghost as well as we ? And he 



YOUXG METHODIST. 145 

commanded them to be baptized in the name of the 
Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days. 
Acts 10: 41-48. 

Q. — What is the inference drawn from 
this account ! 

A. — The clear inference is that Cornelius and 
Lis household were baptized by pouring* The 
circumstances prove this : 

"They went to no river, they are not said to 
go down to any water, nor are we told that 
they had a bath adapted for such a purpose in 
their house. Peter's remark, about forbidding 
water, indicates that it was to be brought to 
him for the purpose of administering this rite. 
And, above all, it should be noticed that, when 
the Apostle saw the Holy Spirit descending 
upon them, he was reminded of what Christ 
had said of John's baptizing with water. (Acts 
xi, 10.) Whence this instantaneous recollec- 
tion and association of ideas, but from the fact 
that the mode of water baptism was in form 
the same as that of the descent of the Holy 
Ghost ? Had either John or Peter baptized by 
dipping, the narrative and the allusion would 
have been grossly inconsistent, and calculated 
to mislead the most devout and clear-headed 

student of inspiration." — Rev. W. Thorn. 
19 



KG THE SHIELD OF THE 

IV. — BAPTISM OF THE THREE THOUSAND. 

Repeat the history of this baptism. 

'•Then Peter said unto them, Repent and be bap- 
tized every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, 
for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift 
of the Holy Ghost. Then they that gladly received 
his word were baptized : and the same day there were 
added unto them about three thousand souls." Acts 
2 : 33-41. 

Q. — What do you learn from this ac- 
count? 

A. — 1. That "they were all actually baptized 
on this clay is evident ; and is admitted by our 
opponents, who assure us that baptism always 
preceded admission into the visible Church. 
Now, supposing the twelve Apostles to have 
been engaged in this work, and supposing im- 
mersion to have been the mode ; it must have 
been a most laborious, disagreeable, if not an 
impracticable undertaking to be accomplished 
in the course of five or six hours. It should 
be taken into the account, moreover, that at 
least twenty-four robing rooms and a dozen dip- 
ping places must have been obtained for the 
purpose. And if more agents assisted, and 
lightened the labor of each, a proportionate in- 
crease of both kinds of conveniences must have 
been provided. 



YOUNG METHODIST. 147 

2. Now, in Jerusalem itself, there was neither 
a river nor fountain of water. Kedron was 
little better than the common sewer of the city, 
and was dry except during the early and latter 
rains. Siloam was only a spring without the 
walls, not always flowing, the contents of which 
were sometimes sold to the people by. measure ; 
and the pools, supplied by its puny streams, 
were either used for washing sheep and similar 
purposes (rendering them unfit for ceremonial 
lustrations,) or they were the property of per- 
sons not likely to lend them for washing apos- 
tate strangers in. The water used for domestic 
purposes was obtained from the rains of heaven 
and preserved in household tanks, and, of 
course, was guarded with the utmost care, and 
used with a rigid economy — it raining there at 
only two seasons of the year. It may be fur- 
ther mentioned that the fountain of Siloam "is 
the only place in the environs of Jerusalem 
where the traveler can moisten his finger, 
quench his thirst, and rest his head under the 
shadow of the cool rock, and on two or three 
tufts of verdure." — Lamartinc. That the case 
was precisely similar in the time of the Apos- 
tles, may be clearly proved by reference to the 
writings of Josephus, their countryman and 



148 THE SHIELD OF THE 

contemporary." The clear inference is, that 
they were baptized by pouring. Any other 
supposition bears upon its face a glaring ab- 
surdity. 

Q. — What is the conclusion of the whole 
matter? 

A. — The conclusion of the whole matter to 
which we come, is : 

1. There is nothing in the history of John's 
baptism, nothing in the practice of the apostles, 
nothing in the miscellaneous allusions to bap- 
tism- in the Epistles, nothing in the meaning of 
the word baptize, to authorize the belief that 
any particular mode of baptism is essential to the 
validity of this rite. 

2. While it cannot be determined with abso- 
lute certainty, whether sprinkling, pouring, or 
immersion was the mode of baptism practiced 
by the apostles, immersion is the least probable of 
the three, most inconvenient, and the least expressive 
of Holy Ghost baptism. 

8. To require immersion in order to obtain 
admission into the church, is contrary to the 
teaching of the Bible and to "teach for doctrine 
the commandments of men." And to exclude 
pious christians from the Lord's table because 



YOUXG METHODIST. 14, 

liey have uDtboen imm3rsed,is narrow-hearted 
bigotry. 

4. Baptism is enjoined upon all nations, arid 
(pouring is adapted to all climates, but immer- 
sion is not. How could immersion be perform- 
ed in those countries where, for six months in 
the year, every pond, river and ocean is con- 
verted into solid ice? 

5. Baptism, by sprinkling, can be performed 
ou persons who profess religion on a dying bed, 
l)iit immersion cannot. 

6. Baptism, by pouring, comports with de- 
cency and propriety? but does immersion ? 



■:o:- 



LESSON 38. 



L— INFANT BAPTISM, 



Q.— What does our Church teach about 
Infant Baptism? 

A. — 1. That the right of infant membership 
existing in the church has never been repealed. 
It stands intact to-day. ]S r o change has occur- 
red. No proclamation has been made repeal- 
ing the law of infant membership. And it is 






m THE SHIELD OF THE 

a well known fact that a law once passed re- 
mains in force until formally repealed. 

Now as infants were members- of the Jewish 
church, and as the Gospel church is but a con- 
tinuance of the Jewish, and no repeal having 
taken place of this law of infant membership,, 
the conclusion m inevitable that the right of 
infant membership remains intact. 

Circumcision with other forms of the Jewish 
church, gave way to baptism in the Christian 
church. Baptism, like circumcision , is an ini- 
tiatory rite of admission into the visible church. 
As circumcision was the gate for the Jew and 
the Gentile proselyte into the Jewish church, so 
baptism is the door into the Christian church. 

Q< — If we admit that children dying in 
infancy are saved, what follows? 

A.— We are shut up to one of two conclu- 
sions—either infants are not fit to go to heaven, 
or admit their fitness for baptism. For if you 
admit their fitness for heaven, that implies that 
they have saving grace, and saving grace is 
universally conceded to be the ground of bap- 
tism. We must believe then, either the horrid 

doctrine of infant damnation or the doctrine of 
infant baptism. 



YOUXG METHODIST. VA 

Note. 

The moral state decides the question of bap- 
tism ; and aot ages or classes of persons. If a 
grown person be a fit subject, or if a child be a 
tit subject, baptize him. And for this reason 
it is not necessary to have an express command 
to baptize infants. There is no command to 
baptize persons, ten. twenty, fifty, or one year 
old. The authority is to baptize all who mre Jit 
subjects of the kingdom, young or old. 

Q. — What does Si Peter say about it? 

A.— Peter, in his penecostal sermon, express- 
ly declared: "The "•promise is unto you and 
your children." The promise referred to is that 
which is contained in \ho Abrahamic covenant. 
Never was there a better time for Peter to do 
clare the repeal of the law requiring the chil- 
dren to be brought into the church than this. 
If that law had been repealed now that they 
were passing out of the Old into the New 
Church, Peter, it seems to me, would have said 
■ — "Repent and be baptized .for the prom- 
ise is unto you, but your children are excluded 
under the New dispensation." But he said the 
promise is to you and your children. Christ had 
commanded him before, "Feed my lambs;" and 
lie knew what he was talking about. 



lo2 THE SHIELD OF THE 

II.-VHEISTS RECOGNITION OF INFANT 
MEMBERSHIP. 

Q.— Did Christ recognize tlie church- 
Membership of children % 

A,— He did. 

Give the Proofs. — Then were there brought unto- 
Him little children, that He should put His hands ora 
them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. 
But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them 
not, to come unto me ; for of such is the kingdom of 
heaven. And He laid His hands on them, and de- 
parted thence. Matt. 19 : 13-15. And they brought 
unto Him also infants, that He would touch them : 
but when His disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 
But Jesus called them unto Him, and said, Suffer lit- 
tle children to come unto me, and forbid them not : 
for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto 
ynu, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God 
as a little child, shall in no wise enter therein. Luke 
18: 15-17. 

KoTK 

"Suffer little children to come unto me, .. 

for of such is the kingdom of God." What is 
the meaning of kingdom of God ? The king- 
dom is sometimes used to signify the visible 
church on earth. "The kingdom of heaven is 
like a net that was cast into the sea and gath- 
ered of every kind." Matt. 13 : 47. Then again 
it is used to mean the church of God in a state 
of glory. "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh 



YOUNG METHODIST. 153 

and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God." 
If we take the tirst meaning, then the passage 
Would read : For of such is the visible church 
or such belong to the church on earth. The 
church was then the Old Testament church. 
The day of Pentecost had not come when the 
Christian church come of the Old into the New. 
These children being the children of Jewish 
parents had been introduced into that church 
by circumcision. They were then members of 
that Jewish church. Hence He says, such are 
members of the church — of the kingdom of God. 
Circumcision, with other forms of the Jewish 
Church, gave way to baptism in the Christian 
Church. Heb. viii : 6-13. The children of be- 
lievers hold a similar relation to the Christian 
Church as Jewish children did to the Jewish 
Church; but they were constituted members of 
the Jewish Church by the administration of 
circumcision. Gen. xvii: 9-14. Therefore chil- 
dren ma} 7 receive this Church rite, and should 
be regarded as members of the visible Church 
until their want of conformity to its require- 
ments excludes them. 



20 



154 THE SHIELD OF THE 

Q. — What other proof can be adduced? 

III.—FAMIL Y BAPTISMS. 

Give the Proofs. — And a certain woman named 
Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, 
which worshiped God, heard us: whose heart the 
Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which 
were spoken of Paul. And when she was baptized, 
and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye 
have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into 
my house, and abide there. And she constrained us. 
Acts 16: 14, 15. 

Note. 

Notice, nothing is said about her family exer- 
cising any religious duty, hut it is said of her, 
"The Lord opened her heart and she attended 
to the things spoken by Paul." As an adult 
person, she repented and believed. And as 
nothing is said about her family repenting and 
believing, hut that they were baptized, the in- 
ference is that her family consisted of children 
too young to believe, and that they were bap- 
tized on the faith of the mother. 
Glee the case of. the Jailer's Family. 

And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, 
and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And they 
spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that 
were in his house. And he took them the same hour 
of the night, and washed their stripes ; and was bap- 
tised, he and all his, straightway. Acts 16 : 31-34. 



YOUNG METHODIST. 155 

Xotes. 

1. The term "household," in the ordinary 
sense, includes all the children in a family. 
When it is said : "Joseph nourished his father 
and his brethren, and all his father's household 
with bread, according to their families" little 
children are included. When the industrious 
■mother is described as "looking well to the 
ways of her household," the term includes her 
children ; for it is said "her children rise up 
and call her blessed." 

2. Many attempts have been made to prove 
that there w r ere no children in these families, 
but all such attempts are vain. The probabili- 
ties are against all such reasoning. Besides 
these families, Paul baptized "the household" 
of Stephanas. As households or families gen- 
erally include children, w r e have no right to ex- 
clude them from these mentioned in the Bible. 
"Who can believe that not one infant was found 
in all these families, and that Jews accustomed 
to the circumcisions, and Gentiles accustomed 
to the lustration of infants, should not have 
also brought them to baptism ?" — Bengel 

"The practice of infant baptism does not rest 
on inference, but on the continuity and identity 
of the covenant of grace to Jew and Gentile, 



156 THE SHIELD OF THE 

the sign only of admission being altered/' — 
Aiford. 

3. The apostolic practice was that of baptiz- 
ing entire families. That is certain. Now if 
modern preachers follow them, they will bap- 
tize entire families, and if they go on in doing 
so, it is certain that they will baptize infants, 
for the continued practice of baptizing entire 
families will necessarily result in the baptism 
of infants. To follow apostolic example is to 
baptize entire families, and the continued prac- 
tice of baptizing entire families is to baptize 
infants. 



•:o:- 



CHAPTER IX. 



LESSON 37 



CHUBCH GOVERNMENT, 



CONFERENCES. 

Q. — How many Conferences are con- 
nected with our Church? 

A. — Five — the General Conference, the Am 



YOUNG METHODIST, 15? 

femal Conference, the District Conference, the 
Quarterly Conference, and the Church Confer- 

once. 

I. — THE GENERAL CONFERENCE. 

Q.— -What is a General Conference, and 
■of whom is it composed? 

A.— The supreme government of the Church 
is vested in the General Conference. It is a 
law-making body. It is composed of the Bish* 
<eps of the whole church, and of ministerial 
and lay delegates, who are elected by the seve- 
ral Annual Conferences. The clerical mem- 
bers of each Annual Conference elect one rep- 
resentative of their number for every thirty-six 
of the whole body. An equal number of lay 
delegates is then elected by the lay members. 

Q.— What is the business of the Gene* 
rat Conference? 

A.— -1. The election of Bishops when deem- 
ed necessary. 

2. To create and re-adjust the boundaries of 
the Annual Conferences. 

8. To revise the laws and rules of the Discip- 
line. 

4. To superintend the interest of Fore'gn 
Missions. 



m THE SHIELD OF THE 

5. To elect officers to conduct the bushier 
of the General Publishing House* 

j^OTES. 

1. The General Corrrfererrce meets once in 
Jon? years, its sessions lasting about foiir weeks, 
and is presided over by the Bishops, each one 
presiding ill tun?, a day at a time, 

2, The lay delegates appeared for the first 
time in the General Conference in 1870, the 
General Conference of 1866 having recom- 
mended it, and the Annual Conferences having 
concurred, it became a law and took effect in 
1870, The introduction of the lay element into 
the General Conference puts the actual govern- 
ment of the church equally into the hands of 
the laymen and the ministry. It is the only 
htw-makmg power in the church, the Annual 
Conferences being only administrative and ju- 
dicial- "The General Conference carries out 
its laws through an executive arrangement con- 
sitting of the Bishops and Presiding Elders. 
By their agency, it exercises a general superin- 
tendence over the church." 

II. — THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE. 

Q.— What is an Annual Conference, and 
of whom composed? 



YOUSG METHODIST. l-n 

A.— The ministers within certain boundaries 
assemble each year, and this meeting is called 
an Annual Conference. It is composed of all 
the traveling ministers in full connection, and 
four lav delegates, one of whom may he a local 
preacher from each Presiding Elder's District 

Q.— What rights do the lay members 
have? 

A. — The lay members Lave equal rights with 
the ministerial, "to participate in all the busi- 
ness of the Conference, except such as involves 
ministerial character.'' The Bishops, by virtue 
of their office, are Presidents of the Annua! 
Conferences. The Bishop presiding, after care- 
ful consultation with the Presiding Elders, ap- 
points annually each minister to his field of 
labor, 

Q. — What is the business of the Confer- 
ence? 

A. — The principal items of business are the 
following: (1) To receive from each pastor a 
report of his year's work. (2) To admit can- 
didates for pastoral work on trial, or into 
full connection. (3) To inquire into the life and 
administration of each pastor. (4) To try any 
who may be accused of immorality or hetero- 
doxy. (5) To examine into the qualifications 



m THE SHIELD OF THE 

of candidates for Deacon's and Elder's orders- 
and elect the same to such orders, (6) To in- 
augurate measures to promote- the work of mis- 
sions, Sunday Schools, education, within the 
boundaries of the Conference. (7) To distrib- 
ute the collected funds for the relief of the Worn- 
out ministers, and the widows or oq>hans of 
the deceased ministers who died members 
of the Conference. (8) The appointment of 
the preachers. Whatever may be the size and 
number of the Conferences, they are all organ- 
ized on the same plan and governed by the 
Mine laws. There are about 40 Conferences in 
the AL E, Church, South. 

LESSOR 38. 

III.— DISTRICT CO^E&EKCE. 

Qi— What is a District Conference, and 
of whom composed ? 

A, — 1. A District Conference is held annu- 
ally in each Presiding Elder's District. It is 
composed of all the Traveling and local preach- 
ers within the bounds of the District, and a cer- 
tain number of laymen from each pastoral 
charge, which number is fixed by each Annual 



YOUXG METHODIST. 161 

Conference. The Presiding Elder is the presi- 
dent unless a Bishop be present. 

Q. — What is the business of this Con- 
ference? 

A. — (1) It is the duty of this Conference to 
inquire respecting the spiritual condition of 
each pastoral charge, and as to the attendance 
of the people upon the ordinances and social 
meeting of the church. (2) To inquire respect- 
ing new fields for establishing missions, and 
what existing missions ought to be raised to 
circuits. (3) To inquire if the collections for 
church purposes are properly attended to, and 
as to the comfortableness of churches and par- 
sonages. (4) To inquire into the condition of 
Sunday Schools, manner of conducting them, 
and adopt suitable measures for insuring suc- 
cess ; and also as to the educational enterprises 
of the District ; and take a general oversight 
of all the temporal and spiritual affairs of the 
District, subject to the provisions of the Dis- 
cipline. (5) To elect four lay delegates — one of 
whom may be a local preacher — to the ensuing 
Annual Conference. (6) These Conferences 
give prominence to preaching, prayer-meetings, 

love-feasts, and revival exercises. 
21 



132 THE SHIELD OF THE 

IV. — QUARTERLY CONFERENCE. 

Q. — What is a Quarterly Conference, 
and of whom composed ? 

A. — 1. The Quarterly Conference is an offi- 
cial meeting held four times' a year for the pur- 
pose of transacting the business of each one of 
the pastoral charges. 

2. It is composed of the pastor in charge, the 
local preachers, extorters, stewards, trustees, 
class-leaders, superintendents of Sunday-schools, 
and Secretaries of the Church Conferences. 

Q. — Who is Chairman of this Confer- 
ence ? 

A. — The Presiding Elder — in his absence the 
preacher in charge — is president of the meet- 
ing. He also appoints the times of holding the 
meetings, signs the records, and decides all 
questions of law. 

Q. — What is the business of this Con- 
ference? 

A. — 1. It takes account of the temporal and 
spiritual welfare of the church. 2. Elects trus- 
tees, stewards, superintendents of Sunday- 
schools. 3. Licenses persons to preach or 
exhort. 4. Tries local preachers when accused, 
and is a court of appeal to laymen tried in the 
church. 5. Recommends suitable persons to 



YOUNG METHODIST. 163 

join the Annual Conference, and such local 
preachers as desire Deacon's or Elder's orders. 

Note. 
The minutes of this Conference must be res:- 
ularly recorded, signed and preserved. All 
ministers of every office and grade must first 
he licensed by a Quarterly Conference. None 
can get into the Annual Conference except they 
be recommended by it. The functions of this 
body are organic, its work is executive and ju- 
dicial, and is closely related to the order and 
prosperity of the church. It is the great wheel 
moving the business machinery of each circuit, 
station and mission, and is indispensable to our 
system. 

V. — CHURCH CONFERENCES. 

Q. — What is a Church Conference? 

A. — This is a meeting of each society in a 
pastoral charge. The pastor is President. A 
secretary is elected to note the proceedings. 
The roll of members called. All the members 
of the society have a right to participate in the 
meeting. It is a kind of a mass-meeting of that 
particular church. 

Q. — What is the object of this meeting? 

A. — To lay before all the members reports : 
1. Of the pastor, as to the state of his work. 



164 THE SHIELD OF THE 

2. Of the class-leader. 3. Of the superintend- 
ent of the Sunday-schools. 4. Of the stewards. 

The meeting further inquires into what is 
being done for the relief of the poor, for the 
cause of missions, for the circulation of our re- 
ligious literature, and any other matter that 
may advance the good of the church. 

The meeting "may strike off the names of 
any who, on account of removal or other cause, 
have been lost sight of twelve months : provi- 
ded, however, that if such member appears and 
claims membership, he may be restored by a 
vote of the meeting." The information given 
by the above reports is designed to enlist the 
energies of the whole church in its local work 
of benevolence and spiritual enterprise. The 
main end of the Church Conference is to put 
every member to work for the cause of Christ. 



LESSOR 39. 



MINISTERIAL OFFICERS. 

Q. — Who are the ministerial officers in 
the Methodist Church? 

A. — Bishops, Presiding Elders, Pastors and 
local preachers. 



YOUXG METHODIST. 165 

t I. — BISHOPS. 

Q. — How are Bishops constituted, and 
what are their duties ? 

A. — Bishops are constituted by the election 
of the General Conference and the laving on 
of the hands of three Bishops. Their dtiim 
■ore : 1. To preside in the General and Annual 
Conferences. 2. To make the appointments of 
the preachers, 3, To form the districts, cir- 
cuits and stations. 4. To ordain Bishops, 
Elders and Deacons. 5. To decide questions of 
law. 6. To prescribe a course of study for 
young ministers. 7. To change preachers in 
the interval of Conferences whenever necessary. 
8. To' travel through the connection at large, 
and oversee the temporal and spiritual welfare 
of the whole church, 

Note. 

The Episcopacy of Methodism is not dioce- 
san, like that of the Protestant Episcopal 
Church, but is co-extensive with the territory of 
the church at large. It differs from the Epis- 
copal Church mainly in not claiming apostolic 
succession. Methodist Bishops have neither 
legislative nor voting power in the Conferences. 
They, according to our theory, are Elders as to 
ministerial order, and Episcopal as to the high 



166 THE SHIELD OF THE 

office of general superintendence. 0*r mode- 
rate Episcopacy does not claim any divine right 
for its existence, but affirms that no specific 
form of church polity is prescribed in the New 
Testament,, and therefore the church is free to? 
adopt such a form as in its judgment will best 
promote the cause oi Christ. 

II,-— rSE8IDING ELDER. 

Q, — By whom is the Presiding Elder 
appointed to his office? 

A.— The Presiding Elder is appointed by the 
Bishop, ancl is put in charge of a District, hav- 
ing from twelve to twenty pastoral charges in it. 

Q. — -What are the official duties of the 
Presiding Elder ? 

A. — The official duties of the Presiding Elder 
are many and weighty. And for the informa- 
tion of the people it may be well for us to spe- 
cify. The duties of the Presiding Elder are : 
1. To travel through his District, in order to 
preach and oversee the spiritual and temporal 
affairs of the church. 2. To take charge of all 
the preachers in his District in the absence of 
the Bishop. 3. To change, receive, and sus- 
pend preachers in his District during the inter- 
vals of the Conferences. 4. To hold four Quar- 



YOUXG METHODIST. W 

terly Conferences in each pastoral charge during 
the year. 5. To decide all questions of law 
which may come up in the regular business of 
the Quarterly Conference, ft. To see that wary 
part of the Discipline be enforced in his Dis- 
trict, &e. 7. If any preacher dies or leaves hte 
work, the Presiding Elder, as far as possible, 
fills his place with another. 8, He is ex-offieio 
president of the District Conference in the ab- 
sence of the Bishop. There are some other 
minor duties not mentioned, but we have speci- 
fied enough to show the importance of this 
office. 

XoTEv 

No class of ministers in the Methodist econ- 
omy fills a more important position than the 
Presiding Elders. This will appear when we 
consider: 

First, Their broad field of ministerial useful- 
ness. They preach over the widest scope of 
territory, to the largest congregations of appre- 
ciative hearers, and under the most inspiring 
circumstances. Quarterly meeting occasions 
have always been — among Methodists at least 
— the most attractive and fruitful of good re- 
sults. There is usually the fullest attendance of 
the members of the particular church where 



168 THE SHIELD OF THE 

these meetings are held, and also official breth- 
ren of other churches. And furthermore, it is< 
the privilege of the Presiding Elders to preach 
to such congregations almost every Sunday in 
the year. And on such occasions^ they preach 
their select, most powerful and impressive ser- 
mons. The field of ministerial usefulness, then 
opened to the Presiding Elders, is vastly supe- 
rior to that of other preachers. In the light of 
these facts, it seems strange to hear the ques- 
tion asked, as it is sometimes — "What is the 
trse of Presiding Elders ?" If, as it is conce- 
ded cheerfully, the pastors of stations and cir- 
cuits deserve to be well paid, highly esteemed 
and dearly loved because ot their ministerial 
tisefulness, then the Presiding Elders have a 
higher claim for the same benedictions of the 
people. 

III.— PASTOR. 

Q. — How is a preacher made a Pastor ? 

A. — The preacher in charge of work is one 

who has the pastoral care of a station, circuit 

or mission by the appointment of the regularly 

constituted authority of the church. He may 

be an Elder, Deacon, or an unordained preacher 

on trial, or a local preacher employed by the 
Presiding Elder. 



YOUNG METHODIST. 16) 

Q. — What are his duties? 

A.— 1. To preach; 2. To receive, try, and 
expel members convicted of immorality ; 3. To 
appoint class-leaders ; 4. To see that the sacra- 
ments are duly observed ; 5. To hold Quarterly 
Meetings in the absence of the Presiding Elders ; 
6. To report to the Quarterly Conference the 
general condition of his work ; 7. To promote 
all benevolent collections of the church; 8. To 
report the number and state of the Sunday- 
schools. 

Note. 
Pastors are represented in the Bible as having 
"authority," and "rule" over the churches. 
"Obey them that have the rule- over you." 
They are "to preach the Word," to "teach, bap- 
tize, to feed the flock." They are sometimes 
called "Elders," because of their oversight; 
called pastors because of their ivatchcare ; min- 
isters because of the services rendered; watchmen 
because of their wide-awake vigilance ; embassa- 
dors because of their authority to effect peace 
between God and man. The three functions of 
preaching the Word, watching over the congre- 
gation, and ruling in the congregation by the 

exercising of discipline, are clearly laid down 

22 



170 THE SHIELD OF THE 

in the New Testament. The responsibility of 
ail these rests upon the pastor. 

IV. — LOCAL PREACHERS. 

Q. — How are local preachers constitu- 
ted, and to what body are they amenable? 

A. — Local preachers are constituted by the 
authority of the Quarterly Conference and are 
amenable to that body. The} 7 must come be- 
fore that body properly recommended by the 
individual church of which they are members. 
Such applicants are licensed to preach when, on 
examination, the Conference is satisfied that 
they have gifts, graces and usefulness. 

Note. 

Local or lay preachers began with the early 
years of Methodism. They have always been 
a powerful arm in the Methodist work. They 
support themselves by secular labor, and preach 
in their neighborhood on Sundays, and render 
a very valuable service to the church. Philip 
Embury, Capt. Webb and Robert Strawbridge, 
three local preachers, founded Methodism in 
America, and their successors have planted it 
in the new States of the West. Throughout 
the entire range of the Methodist connection, 
the local preachers are still an effective and 



YOUNG METHODIST. 171 

faithful body of ministerial laborers. From 
their ranks come the great army of the Itine- 
rants. They usually begin as exhorters, grad- 
uate to the local ministry, and thence into the 
Itinerancy. 

a^o feature of Methodism shows more prac- 
tical wisdom than this three-fold arrangement 
and graduation of her ministry. The exhorter 
must show T improvement before he can become 
a local preacher, and the local must show ca- 
pacity before he can reach the Itinerant ranks. 



:o: 



LESSON 40, 



THE LAY OFFICERS OF THE CHURCH 

Q. — Who constitute the lay officers of 
the Methodist Church ? 

A. — Exhorters, Class-leaders, Stewards, Trus- 
tees, Superintendents of Sunday-schools and 
Secretaries. 

I. — EXHORTER. 

Q. — How is an exhorter made, and what 
are his duties? 



172 THE SHIELD OF THE 

A. — An exhorter is one licensed by the Quar- 
terly Conference to read Scriptural lessons and 
make a practical application of their truths to 
the public congregation. They are not expect- 
ed to select a text and preach a regular sermon. 
Their service is confined to singing, prayer, and 
public exhortation. They are useful laborers 
in our church. Mr. Wesley permitted none of 
his members to exercise even the function of an 
exhorter without license, and so it is engrafted 
in our economy, that license to exhort must be 
given and annually renewed by the Quarterly 
Conference, to which body the exhorters are 
responsible for their official conduct. 

II. — CLASS-LEADER. 

Q. — Who appoints the Class-leader, and 
what are his duties? 

A. — The class-leader is appointed by the 
preacher in charge. Mr. Wesley said : a That 
it may be more easily discerned whether the 
members of our societies are working out their 
salvation, they are divided into little companies 
called classes. A leader is appointed whose 
duty it is : 1. To see each person in his class 
once a week, to inquire how their souls are 
prospering, to advise, reprove, comfort or ex- 



YOUNG METHODIST. L?3 

hort them. 2. To report to the pastor any that 
are sick or walking disorderly." 

Ill, STEWARDS. 

Q. — How are the Stewards elected, and 
what are their duties? 

A. — Stewards are elected by the Quarterly 
Conference. Their business is ; 1, To attend 
to the financial interest of the charge, 2. To 
advise and confer with the pastor as to the gei> 
eral management of the work. 

Their duties are many and weighty. First, 
the question of a liberal and generous salary 
for the pastor depends upon them. Second, 
whether the salary allowed shall be paid depends 
almost exclusively on their efforts in collecting 
the money. No other persons are authorized to 
collect the estimated amount. If they fail, the 
failure is remediless. Faithfidness in this office 
is of the highest importance to the welfare of 
the ministry, and the prosperity of the church, 

IV. — TRUSTEES. 

Q. — Who holds all church property ? 

A. — All church property — such as meeting 
houses, parsonages, cemeteries — held according 
to the Discipline, is vested in a board of Trus- 
tees, who hold it in trust for the use of the 



174 THE SHIELD OF THE 

members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
South. The ministers have never claimed, nor 
do they hold in law, any title to such property. 
Churches, thus held, are obliged to be opened 
to ministers duly sent by Conference. These 
churches are held for the sacred purpose of 
Divine Worship, and are to be closed against 
all political or secular meetings. The Trustees 
are elected by the Quarterly Conferences, and 
are responsible to the same. 

Y. — SUPERINTENDENTS OF SUNDAY-SCHOOLS. 

Q.— How are the Superintendents elect- 
ed? 

A. — >The Quarterly Conference elects Super- 
intendents of Sunday-schools on the nomination 
of the preacher in charge. The office of the 
Superintendent is one of vast importance to 
the future prosperity of the church, and there- 
fore great care should be taken to put in men 
of the greatest efficiency. 



YOUNG METHODIST. 175 

CHAPTER X. 



LESSOR 41, 



PECULIAR USAGES OF METHODISM. 

Q. — What are the peculiar usages of 
Methodism? 

A. — The Class-meeting, the Love-Feast, and 
the Itinerancy. 

I. — CLASS-MEETING, 

Q.— What was the design of Class- 
meetings? 

A. — In order to raise money to pay a church 
debt, Mr. Wesley divided his people into classes 
of twelve, requiring "every member to give a 
penny a week." These classes, meeting weekly 
to contribute their pennies, became also meet- 
ings of religious experience. Thus, what was 
at first business meetings, finally developed into 
class-meetings, which have become one of the 
peculiar institutions of Methodism. 

Q. — What are the benefits of the Class- 
meetings? 

A. — 1. It leads a man to cultivate personal 
religion, by telling his own experience and 



ITS THE SHIELD OF THE 

hearing that of others. 2. Again : The man 
who relates his experience is perhaps more ben- 
efitted than the hearers. It makes religion in- 
tensely a 'personal matter. "Come, hear what 
he hath clone for my soul" In this matter we 
talk about ourselves without egotism. It puts , 
a man to thinking about the dealings of God 
with his soul. It leads a man to obey the apos- 
tolic injunction, "Examine yourselves whether 
ye be in the faith/ 7 Self-examination is very 
important. The lack of it swamped the foolish 
builder spoken of in the sermon of Christ. It 
shut the door against the foolish virgins. These 
meetings are then especially valuable in lead- 
ing persons to frequent, personal examinations, 

3. The class-meeting promotes the spirit of 
fraternal sympathy, the communion of saints, 
"I believe in the communion of saints." It is a 
spiritual feast. It is a foretaste of heaven. The 
fragrance of the blooming garden is not so 
sweet and refreshing. It is more genial than 
the beaming of a warm sun after a season of 
cold, cloudy weather. "Behold, how pleasant 
it is for brethren to dwell together in unity." 

4. Class-meetings accomplish great good in 
leading men to a confession of their faults. 
There is nothing here like the Romanish Con- 



YOUNG METHODIST. 177 

fessional. The confession is voluntary — not en- 
forced. Voluntary confession is good for the 

health of the soul. So James thought : " Con- 
fess your faults one to another, and pray one for 
another, that ye may be healed." It leads a 
man to abandon his faults — it enlists the pray- 
ers of his brethren ; and thus has healing and 
curing effects. When the prodigal son confess- 
ed — "I have sinned" — he arose and came to 
his father. 

5. Class-meetings are eminently pleasing to 
God. "Then they that feared the Lord spake 
often one to another ; and the Lord hearkened 
and heard it; and a book of remembrance was 
written before Him for them that feared the 
Lord, and thought upon His name. And they 
shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that 
day when I make up my jewels." The elo- 
quent speeches of legislative halls and kingly 
parliaments may be written down by ten thou- 
sand editors of political journals, but they are 
not written in the Book of God, but the class- 
meeting talks of God's people are. God thinks 
so much of these meetings as to have angel re- 
porters there to take down every word, and 

have it put in the celestial journals. 
23 



178 THE SHIELD OF THE 

6. These meetings serve to kindle religious 
feelings. In such a meeting the heart is drawn 
out in sympathy, prayer, and desire, and thus 
a warmer, purer flame is kindled. A fresher 
love toward God and man is aroused. When 
Christ held a kind of class-meeting with the 
disciples on their way to Emmaus, they said one 
to another, "Did not our hearts burn within us, 
while He talked with us by the way ?" These 
disciples were in the gloom of spiritual Winter, 
but their teelings soon began to kindle, burn, 
and flame as Christ talked with them. Their 
clouds were gone, the Winter was over, the life 
of Spring began to bud and blossom — balmy 
air, clear skies, and the warm Sun of Righte- 
ousness were now pouring a tide of gladness 
into their souls. How many have gone to these 
meetings with the darkness of spiritual Winter 
upon them and have come out w^ith the bright- 
ness and beauty of Spring all around them. 

" -:0: 

LESSON 42. 



II. — THE ITINERANCY. 

Q. — What is the Methodist Itinerancy, 
and what three things are required to 
constitute it? 



YOUNG METHODIST. 179 

A. — A marked peculiarity of Methodism is 
the Itinerancy of her ministry. It is a simple 
and easy plan of shifting the ministers from one 
lield of labor to another. It requires three 
things : 

1. That the congregations give up their right 
to choose their pastors. 

2. That the ministers surrender their right 
to select their own field of labor. 

3. That the appointment be referred to a 
competent, impartial, untrammeled, but respon- 
sible authority arranged by the law of the 
church. 

Q. — What liberty does it allow ? 

A. — Both the people and ministers, however, 
are at liberty to make known their peculiar con- 
dition, wishes and circumstances to the appoint- 
ing power. And thus under this elastic system, 
all parties have their own choice, when it is 
clear that the good of the work will be served. 
While the Bishops have the sole authority of 
making the appointments, yet they always do 
so under the advice of the Presiding Elders. 
They are eyes and ears for the Bishop, and 
mouth for the people and the preachers. Hav- 
ing traveled through all the work and being 
intimately acquainted with the wants of the 



130 THE SHIELD OF THE 

people and the peculiar qualifications of the 
preachers, they rarely fail in so advising the 
appointing power as to secure the best disposi- 
tion to be made of the ministers. A minister 
under this system is liable to be moved after 
one year's service, yet he may remain four 
years, if all the parties concerned think it best 7 
but beyond this term he cannot go. 

Q. — On what theory is it based ? 

A. — The theory of the Methodist Itinerancy 
is based upon the fact that "the World is the 
parish" of Methodism ; that all men everywhere 
must be called to repentance. It is based upon 
the Great commission, "Go ye into all the World 
and preach the Gospel to every creature." "Go 
ye," not wait until the people come to you. In 
the settled ministry the people call the preacher ; 
in the itinerant system the minister seeks the 
lost sheep. Jesus Christ himself was an itine- 
rating preacher. His circuit embraced Judea, 
Samaria, and Galilee. The apostles were com- 
manded "to go to the lost sheep of the house of 
Israel." The "seventy" were sent forth two 
and two "into every city and place." "Paul 

said unto Barnabas, Let us go again, and visit 
our brethren in every city where we have preach- 
ed the Word of the Lord." Philip traveled the 



YOUNG METHODIST. 1S1 

H£W circuit Samaria, which embraced "Cesaria," 
*-<Gaza," "Azotus," and all the cities on toward 
•Cesaria. And on the first round he had a great 
revival at Samaria, and was instrumental in the 
conversion of the "Ethiopian enuch" in the 
South part of his circuit. 

Q* — What are the peculiar advantages 
of the system? 

A. — 1, It keeps all the churches constantly 
supplied with pastors. The weak and poor 
churches are as regularly supplied as rich ones. 
Though such churches be out of the way, and 
able to pay hut little, yet they always have a 
pastor. Consequently, we never have what is 
so frequently found in other denominations, 
viz : vacant churches. 

2. No effective preacher in this system is ever 
found without a pastoral charge. We have no 
unemployed ministers waiting year after year 
for some congregation to call them. The min- 
isterial waste of time in other denominations 
in this respect is enormous. We noticed in a 
paper not long since that some eight hundred 
ministers in the Presbyterian church, in the 
United States, were without any regular pasto- 
rates. 



182 THE SHIELD OF THE 

3. It famishes our people with great variety 
of ministerial talent. One year, they have a 
logician to defend the doctrines of the ehureh. 
iNext, they have a son of thunder to awake and 
arouse the sleepers. This year a revivalist to 
get the people converted, the next, an experi- 
enced disciplinarian to train them. 

4. It readjusts annually the whole machinery 
of pastoral relations, so as to secure the greatest 
efficiency possible.' 

5. It takes out and puts into pastoral charge,, 
ministers without that violence and strife, which 
attends the dissolution of pastoral relations in 
the other denominations. 

6. Finally, it is well known that the changes 
in the settled ministry, on an average, are quite 
as frequent as among the Methodists, but with- 
out the harmony and efficiency of the itinerant 
system; We believe the plan to be Providen- 
tial. It has worked wonders. And we expect 
to adhere to it until the trump of judgment 
sounds. 



YOTOvG METHODIST. 1S3 

LESSON 43. 



IIL— LOVE-FEAST. 

Q.— -What is the design of the Love- 
Feast? 

A. — The design of the Love-Feast is to cul- 
tivate and exercise fraternal love and good fel^ 
lowship. It is done by eating and drinking the 
simple elements of bread and water as a beau- 
tiful evidence of the same, and to speak to- 
gether of religious experiences for the purpose 
of strengthening each other's faith and magni- 
fying the goodness of the Lord. The Feasts of 
charity were held by the primitive church very 
much as Moravians and Methodists now hold 
them. Dr. Keander in his life of Christy says : 
" At the agapje, or Love-Feasts, all distinctions 
of earthly condition and rank were to disap- 
pear in Christ," Tertulliaii says : "Our supper 
shows its character by its name; it bears the 
Greek name of love." The following Scrip- 
tures allude to it: "And they continued stead- 
fastly in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.'' 
Acts 2: 42. "Upon the first day of the week, 
when the disciples came together to break 
bread," etc. Acts 20 : 7. "These are spots in 



184 THE SHIELD OF THE 

your feasts of charity, when they feast with 
you." Jude 12. The Love-Feast in the apos- 
tolic church preceded immediately the com- 
munion of the Lord's Supper. The Discipline 
says : "Love-Feasts shall be held quarterly, or 
at such other times as the preacher may con- 
sider expedient." They are to be held by par- 
taking of "a little bread and water in token of 
brotherly lore" 

— — :o: • 

CHAPTER XL 



LESSOK 44. 



CHURCH MEMBERSHIP. 

q _Who are admitted into the Metho- 
dist Church? 

A.— 1. Adults who ham been converted. Such 
persons, of course, who have realized a change 
of heart, who have felt that their sins have 
been pardoned, their hearts regenerated, and 
experienced the fact that "the love of God has 
been shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy 
Ghost given unto them," are admitted into our 
church. It has ever been characteristic of 



YOUNG METHODIST. 185 

Methodism to insist on experimental religion. 
The early Methodists preached experience, told 
their own experience, and this living experience 
constitutes the very salt of Methodism, and 
keeps it from taint and mold. This experience 
gives it a vital spirit. "Life and power" is a 
familiar note among our people. 

Q. — What other classes are admitted? 

A. — 2. Pendent seekers. The Methodist Church 
besides opening her doors to adult converts, 
takes in also penitent seekers. The following 
is the condition for the admission of such per- 
sons: 

" There is only one condition previously required 
of those who desire admission into these societies : 
A desire to flee from the wrath to come, and to be 
saved from their sins." This condition implies 
a willingness to be saved. This willingness to 
be saved implies also a readiness to be all and 
do all that the Gospel requires of those who be- 
come partakers of salvation — a willingness to 
accept of salvation "from sin." To be willing 
to accept of salvation, therefore, implies a de- 
sire to be delivered from the dominion of sin. 
It implies such repentance as hates sin and desires 

purity of heart, and a fixedness of purpose to 
24 



186 THE SHIELD OF THE 

use the means of grace prescribed by the church 
in order to attain actual salvation. Hence such 
persons coming into our church pledge them- 
selves: 1. To abstain from all evil; 2. To do 
good of every kind ; To attend wpon all the ordi- 
nances of God. This "desire to flee the wrath 
to come and be saved from sin," is a deep, 
moving, stirring desire "fixed in the soul." It 
is not a feeble, transient desire, but such a desire 
as brings forth fruit meet for repentance — a 
desire ripening into repentance towards God 
and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Repent- 
ance implies pre-existing faith, and faith implies 
pre-existing repentance. Both are produced 
by the preliminary grace of the Holy Spirit, to 
be perfected by the willingness of man using 
the means of salvation. S"ow when such per- 
sons come to us desiring to be saved, we admit 
them into the church, where complete salvation 
may be attained. 



YOUXG METHODIST. 187 

LESSON 45. 



THE INTRODUCTION OF BAPTIZED CHILDREN INTO 
THE CHURCH. 

Q. — What is the duty of pastors in ref- 
erence to baptized children ? 

A. — The Discipline says : 1. "Let the minis- 
ter diligently instruct and exhort all parents to 
dedicate their children to the Lord in baptism 
as early as convenient. 2. Let him pay special 
attention to the children, speak to them per- 
sonally and kindly on experimental and practi- 
cal godliness. 3. -As soon as they comprehend 
the responsibilities involved in a public profes- 
sion of faith in Christ, and give evidence of a 
sincere and earnest determination to discharge 
the same ; see that they be duly recognized as mem- 
hers of the church agreeably to the provisions of the 

Discipline" 

Note. 

Baptized children then ought to be enrolled 
by name in the Register of each church, as 
composing a distinct class of candidate members, 
and thus be held in expectancy till the time 
when they are to be examined, and those that 



188 THE SHIELD OF THE 

are found to meet the prescribed conditions of 
the Discipline, should be admitted into the full 
membership of the church. 

"There are but two kingdoms — one of truth 
xind goodness and light — the other of falsehood 
and selfishness and darkness. The little chil- 
dren do not belong to the kingdom of the devil ; 
till some one has rescued them, in Christ's 
name, they belong to Christ, unless the devil 
carries them oft* and makes them captives to sin 
and death, from which they may still be rescued 
by christian chivalry. The little children are 
not to wait till they become as men before they 
can enter into Christ's kingdom ; the grown 
men are to be converted and become as little 
children before they can enter it." 

We have a right to hope, to pray, to expect 
for our children that, like John the Baptist, 
they will be filled from their mother's womb 
with the Holy Spirit. It is a most dangerous 
error to suppose that they cannot have the 
divine help and inspiration till they have come 
to be old enough to comprehend its desirability 
and to ask for it. It is a most dangerous error 
to suppose that our children must live in the 
wilderness till they are old enough to seek the 



YOUNG METHODIST. 189 

promised land of their own accord. Not till 
the church learns to train its own children — 
not only for Christ but in Christ, from the cra- 
dle, so that they shall always be Christ's— will 
it begin to really vanquish the world. Till 
then it can hope for nothing more than to make 
reprisals. 

I believe that those of us who really believe 
this should carry out our belief consistently ; 
that we should regard our children as members 
of the church as truly as they are citizens of the 
commonwealth; that we should repudiate in 
stronger terms than we are wont to do the 
notion that they cannot be members of the 
outward community of saints till they have 
reached years of discretion ; that we should 
accustom ourselves to regard them as members 
with us of the household of faith and should 
accustom them to so regard themselves ; and 
that w^e may well use the rite of baptism as a 
sign of this faith that brings our children into 
Christ's household with ourselves." 



100 THE SHIELD OF THE 

LESSOR 46. 



THE DUTY OF JOINING THE CHURCH. 

Q.— What are the benefits of Church 
membership? 

A. — 1. Every one desiring to save his souT^ 
should seek a spiritual home in some branch of 
the church of God. That this is a dirty, is seen 
from the teaching and practice of the early dis- 
ciples. The converts on the day of Pentecost 
immediately joined the band of disciples "And 
the same day there were added unto them about 
-three thousand souls." Acts 2 : 4, Also the 
converts in Lystra, Iconium, and Antioeh were 
organized into churches. Hence it is said of 
the apostles: "They returned again to Lystra, 
and to Iconium, and to Antioeh, confirming the 
souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to 
continue in the faith." Acts 14: 22. Within 
the church thus organized are the ordinances 
of the Gospel, which are means appointed by 
God to help us work out our salvation — such 
as spiritual discipline, the communion, and the 
pastoral watch-care. 

2. Consider, too, the benefit of pulpit instruc- 
tion. How much light and warmth it sheds 



YOUXG METHODIST. 191 

upon the world in this way. Think of seventy 
thousand ministers in the United States — men 
of culture and well skilled in preaching, pour- 
ing every Sabbath streams of moral light and 
truth upon the people, what a vast amount of 
good is clone. "What a great help it is to sit 
under the enlightening and stirring ministra- 
tions of the pulpit. It has pleased God to save 
men by preaching. w 

3. Then again, in the church is the stirring 
influence of sacred son°\ The hvmn-book is 

O %J 

a power in the land. There can never be such 
a bond of union as sweet and animating song* 
How often on the wings of sons: our dull souls 
berin to take fire and rise heavenward. How 
often it comes as a refreshing rain on parched 
fields. 

4. Furthermore, the church generates spiritual 
warmth. "It is difficult for single individuals, 
unless they be very highly endowed, to create 
in themselves fervor when alone. Now and 
then there is a nature that can generate its own 
fire; but ordinarily you must put stick upon 
stick, and spark to spark, and flame to flame in 
order to make fervor. And it is the association 
of feeling — it is feeling in the multitude — 
whose thought kindles in each individual the 



192 \ THE SHIELD OF THE 

highest forms of emotion. There are very few 
who have the power of solitary zeal ; and there- 
are' very few who have not the power of associ- 
ated zeal. The christian religion depended at 
the first, and has ever since depended, and will 
to the end depend, very largely on church con- 
ditions. For a religion whose element is love y 
and not awe ; a religion whose very life is sweet 
and pure emotion, must thrive by the social 
principle. It was never meant that christians 
should be solitary. It was never meant that 
they should feed themselves. It was meant 
that they should thrive in their combined and* 
associated capacities. 

— ~ :o:— 

CHAPTER XII. 



LESSON 47. 



MINISTERIAL SUPPORT. 

Q. — Has God made provision for the 
support of his ministers? 

A.— Yes. In the beginning, God instituted 
a system of Tithes for the express purpose of 
maintaining Divine Worship. The gold and 
silver of earth were stored away to do this. 



YOUXG METHODIST. 193 

"The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness 
thereof." Churches cannot be built without 
money. Missionary operations cannot be car- 
ried on without money. The question of the 
world's conversion is largely one of money. 
The efficiency of the ministry is largely de- 
pendent upon a competent support. 

Repeat the Divine Law on this Subject. 
"And all the tithes of the land, whether of 
the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, 
is the Lord's; it is holy unto the Lord. And 
concerning the tithes of the herd, or of the 
flock, the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord." 
Lev. xxvii: 30-33. 

Q. — What use was made of this Tenth 1 
A. — This one-tenth of the annual increase is 
that which was required from the beginning as the 
least that would meet the requirements of God's law. 
This was emphatically the Lord's tenth, and by 
Him was wholly applied to the support of His 
ministering servants in the Temple. To with- 
hold it was to steal God's property. "Will a 
man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But 
ye say wherein have we robbed thee ? In tithes 
and offerings" What follows ? "Ye are cursed 
with a curse, for ye have robbed me, even this 
whole nation." 
25 



194 THE SHIELD OF THE 

Q. — Was this law repealed by the Gos- 
pel dispensation? 

A. — This law was not repealed by the Gospel dis- 
pensation, but fully endorsed by New Testament 
writers. Paul says : u Do ye not know that 
they who minister about holy things live of the 
things of the temple ? and they which wait at 
the altar are partakers with the altar. Even so 
hath the Lord ordained that they who preach the 
Gospel should live of the Gospel" 1 Cor. 19 ; 
13, 14. 

Note. 

Thus we see that the law of the tithe is fully 
endorsed by the apostle. Jesus sanctioned the 
great liberality of Zaccheus when he gave "half 
Lis goods," commended the example of the 
poor widow who gave "all her living," and said 
concerning the law that He "came not to de- 
stroy but to fulfill." The church is the same 
through all ages, and the law to support her 
ministers must be the same. 

Q. — Does the Bible make the practice 

of constant giving a christian duty ? 

A. — It does very clearly and fully. 

Give the Proofs. — "Honor the Lord with thy sub- 
stance, and with the first fruits of all thine increase : 



YOUNG METHODIST. 195 

so shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy 
presses shall burst out with new wine." — Prow 8-6. 

4 'There is that scattereth and yet increaseth ; and 
there is that withhold eth more- than is meet, but it 
tendeth to poverty. The liberal soul shall be made 
fat, and he that w^atereth shall be watered also him- 
self."— Prov. 19-17. 

u And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and 
satisfy the afflicted soul, then shall thy light shine in 
obscurity, and thy darkness be as noonday ; and the 
Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy 
soul in drought, and make fat thy bones ; and thou 
shalt be watered like a garden, and the s}3rings of 
water whose waters fail not." — Is. 58-10. 

"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that 
there may be meat in my house ; and prove me now, 
herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open 
you the windows of heaven and pour you out a bless- 
ing that there shall not be room enough to receive it. 
And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and 
lie shall not destroy the fruits of your ground, neither 
shall the vine cast her fruit before the time in the 
field, saith the Lord of hosts." — Mai. 3-10. 

"Give and it shall be given unto you— good meas* 
lire, pressed down, shaken together and running over 
shall men give into your bosom. For with the same 
measure you mete withal it shall be measured to you 
again."— Luke 6-38. 

"I have showed you all things, how that so labor- 
ing ye ought to support the weak, and to remember 
the w^ords of the Lord Jesus, how he said, "It is more 
blessed to give than to receive. ' " — Acts 20-35. 

"Every man as he purposeth in his heart, so let him 



106 THE SHIELD OF THE 

give ; not grudgingly or of necessity : for God lovetb 
a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace 
(the word "grace" here refers to temporal blessings) 
abound towards you ; that ye always having all suffi- 
ciency in all things may abound to every good work/' 
—2d Cor. 9-7. 

Notes. 
1. the ground of giving. 

"The earth is the Lord's and the fullness 
thereof; the world and they that dwell therein." 
The earth is God's great plantation, and man is 
His tenant, and nothing can be more reasona- 
ble than that He should require a tenth to sup- 
port His ministers. This is His rental money. 

"Now this truth is a simple and even a self- 
evident one. God has made me, and I and all 
ray powers belong to the Maker. He has made 
the earth and stored it with all its wealth ; He 
has created the natural forces and laws which 
are used in the creation of wealth, and He has 
put all these at my service. My labor is Hi^ 
because I am His handiwork, because I am de- 
pendent upon Him. for my existence ; because, 
therefore, my supreme allegiance is due to Him; 
and all that by means of my labor I get out of 
the earth is His ; because I am merely taking 
from the treasure-house that which He previ- 
ously put there. All the wealth which is dug 



YOUNG METHODIST. 197 

*cvat of the earth in coal and silver and gold, or 
which is gathered from its surface in wheat and 
corn and various cereals and fruits, or which is 
indirectly produced by changes of form, struct- 
ure and location by the power of steam, or by 
water-power, or by the wafting winds of com- 
merce, is gathered from stores which He has 
accumulated and made valuable by means of 
power with which He has endowed us. IV 
take these stores and employ these powers for 
our own uses and purposes is just as truly au 
act of dishonest defalcation as for the clerk to 
take money from his employer's till for his own 
pocket" 

2. THE CHEAPNESS OF PREACHING. 

Sometimes the people complain that the 
preachers require too muck money. Xow we 
assert that there is no class of men of the same 
ability and culture, who work so cheaply as 
preachers. 

We think the ministers are equal in ability 
and mental culture to any other class of men. 
Yet while lawyers, doctors, and good business 
men average about $ 2,000 a year, the salary of 
preachers will not average more than $500 a 
year. The amount paid to the lawyers of this 
country is put down at $35,000,000; that paid 



1W THE SHIELD OF THE 

to the ministers at $7,000,000 — a difference of 
128,000,000. 

Then compare the expenses of the ministry 
with the injurious luxuries of the people, and 
what a difference. Thousands are paid for 
liquor, useless jewelry and gaudy raiment. For 
t>yery dollar this nation spends for the ministry, 
it spend® $76 for intoxicating Kquors. North 
Carolina spends $12 for liquor where one is 
given for the Gospel. 

It is a sad feet that heathens spend more in 
keeping up their forms of idolatry than chris- 
tians do in supporting their preachers. The 
annual cost of a heathen temple in India is set 
down at $450,000 — a little more perhaps than 
is paid to all the ministers in North Carolina. 
The annual expenses of keeping one idol in 
Rhundoba is put down at $30,000. Dr. DufF 
gays that one pagan festival cost $2,000,000* 

It is stated on good authority that the dogs 
cost this nation more than the preachers. It m 
estimated that the dogs cost the country $16<- 
000,000, while preachers cost only $7,000,000. 
Let us hear no more nonsense about the high 
cost of preaching, since it is demonstrated that 
there is nothing in all this land so cheap as the 



X 



YOUNG METHODIST. 19:) 

ministry when we consider their talents and 
the benefits of their preaching. 

3, THE ABILITY OF THE PEOPLE TO PAY. 

That the professed followers of Christ in our 
day and country possess a large share of this 
world's riches, is plain to the most casual ol> 
server. They own broad acres of fertile land 
on which the great staples of cotton, corn, 
wheat, tobacco, and fruits are grown under the 
warmth of God's Sun and the showers of His 
rain. Others are engaged in the profitable bu- 
siness of merchandizing, mining, manufacturing, 
banking, and other spheres of trade. There 
are engineers, architects, lawyers, physicians, 
authors, school teachers, editors, belonging to 
the Church of Christ. Most of the immense 
wealth of this country is in the hands of pro- 
fessed christians. The wealth of this land is 
not held by infidels. Why then does the cause 
of the Lord languish for the want of money ? 
Whfo then, do church interests languish for the 
want of money f 

4. THE LACK OF WILLINGNESS TO GIVE. 

"And the children of Israel brought a will- 
ing offering unto the Lord, every man and wo- 
man, whose heart made them willing to bring 



m THE SHIELD OF THE 

all manner of work, which the Lord had com- 
manded to be made." This was said of the 
Israelites while contributions were required to 
build! the Tabernacle. The men gave their 
money, the women their jewels. The " willing 
heart" made everything easy. It is not hard 
f o raise mone}^ for Church purposes, when the 
people have a willing heart to give. These 
Israelites were poor— a nation of ex-slaves. 
Though food of jewelry, the women stripped 
themselves of their ornaments, of their brace- 
lets and ear-rings, their tents of furniture to- 
build the Tabernacle. They gave what was 
costly and dear to them. Why? They had a 
" willing heart." Enthusiasm makes hard things 
easy. It is hard to raise money for missions, 
to pay the preacher, or build churches y when 
there is no willingness of heart among the 
people. When the rain of revivals comes, then 
streams of liberality flow. 



APPEUDDL 



Denominational Statistics of the United States, 



Methodist Episcopal Church 1,742,032 

Methodist Episcopal Church, South 848,703 

African Methodist E. Church 402,644 

Methodist E. Zion Church 305,400 

Colored Methodist E. Church 113,621 

Evangelical Association 114,695 

United Brethren 159,031 

Union American M. E. Church 2,732 

Methodist Protestant Church 114,644 

American Wesleyan 25,450 

Free Methodist Church 13,239 

Independent Methodist Church 2,574 

Total of Methodists in the United States 3,869,000 

Methodist population in the United States. .18,345,000 

Methodist members in the world 5,069,109 

Methodist population in the world 25,345,545 

Regular Baptists 2,102,085 

Free-will Baptists 75,686 

Other Free-will Baptists 40,000 

Six Principles Baptists 2,000 

The German Baptists 100,000 

The Seventh Day Baptists 7,446 

Total Baptists in the United States 2,389,203 

Baptists in the whole world .• 2,938,673 

26 



202 APPENDIX. 

Presbyterian Church 592,128 

Southern Presbyterians 123,806 

United Presbyterians 84,573 

Cumberland Presbyterians 104,974 

Reformed Synod Presbyterians 10,093 

General Synod Presbyterians 5, 750 

Associate Reformed Presbyterians 6,740 

Total Presbyterians in the United States 916,489 

Protestant Episcopal Church 344,995 

Reformed Episcopal Church 10,000 

Dutch Reformed Church 111,071 

German Reformed Church 147,788 

Church of the United Brethren 154,796 

Shakers 6,000 

Unitarians 30,905 

Universalists 37,965 

Christian Connection , 57,000 

Church of God 30,000 

Congregationalists. 375,654 

Campbellites 350,000 

Evangelical Association 107,732 

Evangelical Synod of the West 40,000 

Friends or Quakers 70,000 

Lutherans , 808,428 

Mennonites 50,000 

Moravians 16,223 

Swedenborgians 19,000 

Roman Catholic population 6,143,000 

Total Mormon population 90,000 

Total population of the Jews 500,000 



/ 

APPENDIX. 



203 



( COMPARATIVE STATISTICS. 

All Methodists in the United States 3,869,000 

All Baptists in the United States 2,389,203 

All Presbyterians in the United States 916,439 

All Lutherans in the United States 808,428 

All Congregationalists in the United States 375,654 

AllProt. Episcopalians 344,364 



Denominational Statistics from TJ. S. Census, 1870. 



DENOMINATIONS. 


Congrega- 
tions. 


Church 
Edifices. 


Church 
Sittings. 


Church 
Property. 


Methodists 

Baptists 

Episcopals 


25,278 
15.839 
2,835 
7,824 
3,032 
4,127 
2,887 


21,837 

14,032 

2,601 

6,071 

2,776 
3,806 
2,715 


6,528,209 
4.365,135 

991.051 
2,697,244 

977,332 
1,990,514 
1,117,212 


$69,854,12 L 
41,607,198 
36,514,549 
43,365,306 
14,917,747 
60,985,566 
25,069,698 


Presbyterians 




Roman Catholics 

Congregationalists 



NOTE. 

The Methodists began to preach in this coun- 
try in 1773 } the Baptists began in 1639 ; the 
Presbyterians began in 1703; the Congrega- 
tionalists in 1648 ; the Catholics, Lutherans and 
Episcopalians began with the settlement of the 
country. It will be seen that the Methodist is 
the youngest of the churches mentioned. She 
is 177 years younger than the Baptist, 118 years 
younger than the Congregationalist, 63 j^ears 
younger than the Presbyterian — while the Cath- 
olic, Episcopalian and Lutheran are as old as 
immigration to the American shores. Not- 
withstanding this, the Methodist Church is by 



204 APPENDIX. 

far the largest in numbers. The census table 
shows that she has one-third of all the church 
organizations in the United States ; one-third of 
all the church edifices ; preaches to one-fourth 
of all the church-going population ; and has 
built, on an average, nearly two churches per 
day for the last twenty years. The Methodist 
population in the United States is estimated to 
be 18,345,000. "In twenty-two of the thirty- 
seven States in the Union, the Methodist 
church is first in numbers ; in eleven others she 
is second; in three others she is third. The 
Eoman Catholic Church is first in five States ; 
the Baptist is first in six States ; and the Con- 
gregationalist is first in four States." 

It will be seen from the above tables that the 
Methodist Church stands far in advance of all 
other denominations in this country. She 
ranks first in the number of her communicants, 
in the number and capacity of her church build- 
ings, and in the value of church property, and 
in the amount of money collected and expended 
for church purposes. 

THE CLAIMS OF METHODISM. 

While we do not claim to be the only church, 

we do claim to be superior to some others in 
many important particulars. 



APPENDIX. 205 

1. We claim superiority i?i the Scriptural sound- 
ness of our leading doctrines. There are four 
great doctrinal systems in the world — the Ro- 
man Catholic, the Calvinistic, the Lutheran 
■and the Wesleyan. The Catholic creed teaches 
that salvation comes through the Papal church 
alone. The Calvinistic creed makes the salva- 
tion or non-salvation of every soul to depend on 
the unchangeable decree of God. The Luther- 
an creed lodges the salvation of the soul in the 
sacraments. The Methodist creed makes the 
salvation or non-salvation of every soul depend 
on his willingness to receive and appropriate the 
free grace of the Gospel offered to all men. This 
creed presents a doctrine high as the love of 
God and wide as the deep wants of the human 
race. This ground-view of Methodism appeals 
to the common sense of mankind for its truth, 
lias driven Calvinism practically out of the pul- 
pit of Christendom, and is rapidly ascending to 
the throne of universal acceptance. It preaches 
a free and full salvation, justification by faith 
alone, carefulness to maintain good works, the 
witness of the Spirit to the believer's present 
acceptance, holiness of life, a burning love for 
the salvation of souls, an entire reliance upon 
the Holy Spirit as the source of spiritual power. 



206 APPENDIX. 

It has an open communion table, contends for 
a pure and spiritual worship, a deep and heart- 
felt experience of vital religion, encourages ancl 
promotes revivals as vital to the health and 
growth of a church. The vast army of Meth- 
odism has been recruited mainly through its 

system of revivals. While other churches have 
been gathering a few members through family 
training and catechetical instruction, Methodism 
has swept them in by hundreds and thousands. 
The first method is the slow way of fishing 
with hook and line ; the revival method is fish- 
ing with a net, that goes far out into the waters 
and sweeps in thousands with one haul. 

2. Methodism claims superiority in adapting 
itself to the circumstances of human life. "Meth- 
odism," says the celebrated Dr. Talmage, "in 
England preaches in a gown ; in our Eastern 
cities in broadcloth*, in the West, in shirt- 
sleeves, if the season be appropriate — preaching 
in the house or in the fields — anywhere — it 
makes no difference where — preaching just as 
well in one place as in another. It takes the 
express train and goes across the continent, or 
a horse and rides with saddle-bags across the 
prairie. It is at home in the magnificent St. 



APPENDIX. 211 

Paul's New York, and is not at all inconve- 
nienced in a log cabin Here is a man 

fallen down in the ditch of sin and crime. How 
are we going to get him out ? We come up 
elegantly appareled, and we look at him, and 
we say, "What a pity it is to see a man so deep 
in the mud ! We wish we could get him out. 
Is it not awful to see that man suffering there ? 
Get a pry, somebody, and help now ! I wish I 
had on my old clothes.** While we stand 
there, looking at the poor man, the Methodist 
comes along and says, "Brothel, give me your 
hand ;" pulls him up and sets him on the Rock 
of Aores. 

We are told in one of the Arabian stories of 
a fairy tent which a young prince brought, hid- 
den in a walnut shell, to his father. Placed in 
a council-chamber, it grew till it encanopied the 
king and his ministry. Taken into the court- 
yard, it filled the space till all the household 
stood beneath its shade. Brought into the 
midst of the great plain without the city, where 
the army was encamped, it spread its expansive 
shade all abroad, till it gave shelter to a mighty 
host of people. It had wonderful flexibility 
and expansiveness. And such is the expansive 
flexibility and adaptableness of Methodism. It 



208 APPENDIX. 

has this power of easy adaptation to the most 
diversified conditions of life. It reaches out it$ 
arms to embrace the negro in his hut, the back- 
woodsman in his forest home, the scholar in his 
study, and the prince in his gilded palace. 

3. Metliodism? more than any other denomina- 
tion, has exercised a ivutch-care over individual 
members. To visit from time to time every 
house where there is n Methodist member,, 
though it may be but a servant girl, and to talk 
and pray with them, is the old ideal of a Meth- 
odist preacher's duty, and it is yet held and 
acted on in most places. The class-leader is 
also to watch over the members in his charge, 
and "to see every member of his class once a 
week" was formerly exacted of him. This con- 
stant watchfulness checked incipient backsli- 
dings, recovered those who had gone astray, 
and was a powerful engine for the enforcement 
of discipline. The class-leaders are appointees 
of the pastor, and are his deputies. Attend- 
ance upon the class-meetings is no longer com- 
pulsory, but the watchfulness of the leader over 
his flock, and his accountability to the pastor 
in the regular meetings of the official board, 
a re yet great powers for the conservation of the 
membership. A system of intelligence is thus 



APPENDIX. 209 

established by which the pastor is enabled to 
consider every member, even the most obscure, 
in his individual circumstances and qualities. 
Methodism is not so much an organization, but 
an organism in which every part — even the 
remotest— is vitalized by its connection with 
the whole. Of late years an effort has been 
made to supply the lack of the old efficiency of 
the class-meeting system, by organizing the 
ladies of the city congregations into societies 
for the purpose of assisting the pastor in visita- 
tion and supervision. 

Methodism has always been intensely social. 
Its class-meetings were family gatherings ; its 
love-feasts, and prayer-meetings, and "general 
class-meeting" w r ere so many ever-recurring ex- 
pressions of its social life. More powerful than 
any oratory is the influence of fellowship upon 
the masses of the people, and this fellowship 
Methodism furnished and still furnishes. In 
the older and less conventional days I have seen 
class-meetings and love-feasts break up witli 
what the enthusiastic Western people called "a 
good old-fashioned Methodist shake-hands all 
round." No social distinctions were tolerated 
then. The title of "brother" and "sister," in 
all but universal use, between Methodists, as 
27 



210 APPENDIX. 

substitutes for "Mr." and "Mrs.," was a symbol 
of the entire equality of brethren in the church. 
4. Methodism claims superiority in her methods 
of diffusing the Gospel over the World through the 
Itinerant Ministry. It is this grand agency that 
has enabled Methodism to keep up with the 
inarch of frontier settlements, cross the Alle- 
ghanies, follow the Indian trail beyond the 
Mississippi, and at length fill the far west with 
the sound of its victories. In the wake of its 
luminous progress, have sprung up all kinds of 
improvements. It has been a popular educa- 
tor, civilizer and refiner to the rude masses of 
the west. A distinguished outsider has "recog- 
nized in the Methodist economy, as well as in 
the zeal, the devoted piety and efficiency of its 
ministry, one of the most powerful elements in 
the religious prosperity of the United States, 
as well as one of the firmest pillars of their 
civil and political institutions." Bancroft, the 
historian, acknowledges the Methodists as "the 
pioneers of religion" in this country, and says, 
that they have "carried their consolations, songs 
and prayers to the furtherest cabins in the wil- 
derness." Another talented writer has said, 

"Their voice w r ent through the land as a trum- 
pet call. It sounded over the heights and 



APPENDIX. 21! 

depths, and filled the country with its echoes."' 
Not only have the banners of Methodism heen 
planted in all the States and Territories of the 
Union from sea to sea, but it has spread rapidly 
over Great Britain, its native home; into Scot- 
land, Ireland, to Nova Scotia, the West Indies, 
France, Africa, India, Germany, and is achiev- 
ing remarkable success among the Cannibal 
Islands of the Southern Sea. "The world is 
ray parish," said Mr. Wesley, and it seems that 
this prophecy is about to be realized. For the 
bright eye of the sun sees no longitude on the 
rolling earth, where Methodism is not working 
for the salvation of men. May her future his- 
tory realize the noble anticipations of the poet, 
Montgomery, who said, "Century expanding 
after century, like circle* beyond circle in broad 
water, shall carry farther and farther the bless- 
ings of the Methodist dispensation, till they 
have tracked every sea, and touched every 
shore. 



INDEX. 



Rise of Methodism in England— The First 
Methodist Society— Sketch of John 
Wesley - 1-10 

Rise of Methodism in America — Organiza- 
tion of the Church 1 10-16 

Articles of Religion with Scripture Quota* 

tlons and Notes... * 18-69 

General Rules with Scripture Quotations 

and Notes.., 69-105 

Prominent Doctrines— Universal Redemp- 
tion — Repentance — Justification — Re- 
generation—Witness of the Holy Spirit 
—Holiness — Apostacy...~ 105-131 

Orders in the Methodist Ministry— Deacons 

—Elders— Bishops 132-135 

Mode of Baptism— Baptism of Paul— of the 

Jailer— of Cornelius— of three thousand, 135-149 

Infant Baptism, as taught in the Old Testa- 
ment— Christ's Recognition of Infant 
Membership— Peter preaching it— Fam- 
ily Baptisms . 149-156 

Church Government— General, Annual, 
District, Quarterly and Church Confer- 
ences 157-164 

Church Officers— Bishops, Presiding Elders, 
Pastors, Local Preachers, Lay Officers, 
Exhorters, Class Leaders, Stewards, 
Trustees, Superintendents 165-1 74 

Peculiar Usages of Methodism— Class Meet- . 

ings, Love-Feast, Itinerancy 175-184 

Church Membership— Converted Adults, 

Penitent Seekers, Baptized Children.... 185-192 

Ministerial Support— The Divine law on 
the Subject— Cheap Preaching— Ability 
to pay 192 ~7)a ( i > 

General Statistics 201 

Claims of Methodism l0 ^ 



.iip— (X. 



&< 






